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Nanoparticles in the blood to control diabetes?

May 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment

 

The nano-network that releases insulin in response to changes in blood sugar

This article on GizMag demonstrates to me the distance the scientific community has travelled to avoid true healing and focus on finding new ways of allowing people to damage themselves with poor diet so the latest miracle cure – no, the latest symptom cover-up technique can be patented and sold.

This time it’s an array of nanoparticles in the blood that rebalance insulin levels. Nothing about finding teh cause of the insulin imbalance. No money in that!

Filed Under: Diabetes, scientific studies Tagged With: ,

Vitamin K2 Bone effect validated: Osteoporosis results

March 29, 2013 by Leave a Comment

bodyAs many of my readers know, I had a rather unwelcome surprise fifteen months ago when I had a mild ‘ankle sprain’ fall off my son’s skateboard. The result? Broken leg, and after a Dexa scan, I was informed I had severe osteoporosis. A great gift after 13 years on the alkaline diet and much of the reason for Cassie’s innovation, the Alkaline Paleo Diet.

Well, I had my latest Dexa scan a month ago and my pelvis is around 8% better which is apparently good. But I can say that it wasn’t my alkaline ionized water that did it, even though i still love my water – but Cassie’s research and her bon-friendly supplementation of Vitamins K2, D and A.

K2 is also available from dairy cows on green grass, and from their meat. We are lucky enough to have a good supply of grass fed beef, and I’m supplementing daily.

I think this extract from a company site sums up the role of K2 better than i can, particularly the ‘calcium paradox’.  I’ve been concerned for quite some time at how the body manages our calcium so that it goes where it is supposed to you instead of becoming an atherosclerosis risk factor.

“Vitamin K2 MK-7 plays a crucial role in the calcium balance and aids the optimal distribution of calcium in the body.

Several recent high profile studies have reported an increased risk of cardiovascular disease associated with high calcium intake from particularly dietary supplements in men & women.
MGP – the strongest known inhibitor of arterial calcification  – is activated by vitamin K2 MK-7 and works by binding calcium. As a consequence, it inhibits calcium from depositing in the arterial cell wall.
Osteocalcin is synthesized inside the bone forming cell where it is activated by the presence of Vitamin K2, MK-7. Upon this activation it can bind calcium efficiently and contribute to the formation of a stronger bone structure (hydroxyapatite).The “calcium paradox” describes the relationship between osteoporosis and atherosclerosis – a phenomenon that largely can be explained by lack of activation of osteocalcin and MGP.With the presence of vitamin K2 MK-7, sufficient activation of osteocalcin and MGP takes place. Calcium is removed from the blood stream and tied up into the bone mass.”

 

As promised, here’s the latest scientific report on the bone building effect of K2.

Worth a read by every sugar-addicted acidic human of median age.

Filed Under: arthritis, Gout, Osteoporosis, scientific studies, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Osteoporosis and Alkaline Ionized water

March 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment

I grabbed this scientific study with both hands. Recovering from severe osteoporosis, I needed good news, particularly given that I have been drinking electrolytically ionized water for over 13 years.

Alas, the report was, to my mind, inconclusive at best, and came down to a comparison of calcium absorption.

I am still a huge fan of alkaline ionized water, but not for bone health. Cassie’s research, on the other hand has me on daily doses of K2, D and A, plus thr Paleo diet.

For those of you interested, here is the report.

 Effects of alkaline ionized water on formation & maintenance of osseous tissues

 By Rei Takahashi Zhenhua Zhang Yoshinori Itokawa (Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Dept. of Pathology and Tumor Biology, Fukui Prefectural University)

Effects of calcium alkaline ionized water on formation and maintenance of osseous tissues in rats were examined. In the absence of calcium in the diet, no apparent calcification was observed with only osteoid formation being prominent. Striking differences were found among groups that were given diets with 30% and 60% calcium. Rats raised by calcium ionized water showed the least osteogenetic disturbance. Tibiae and humeri are more susceptible to calcium deficiency than femora. Theses results may indicate that calcium in drinking water effectively supplements osteogenesis in case of dietary calcium deficiency. The mechanism involved in osteoid formation such as absorption rate of calcium from the intestine and effects of calcium alkaline ionized drinking water on maintaining bone structure in the process of aging or under the condition of calcium deficiency is investigated.

Osteoporosis that has lately drawn public attention is defined as “conditions of bone brittleness caused by reduction in the amount of bone frames and deterioration of osseous microstructure.” Abnormal calcium metabolism has been considered to be one of the factors to contribute to this problem, which in turn is caused by insufficient calcium take in, reduction in enteral absorption rate of calcium and increase in the amount of calcium in urinal discharge. Under normal conditions, bones absorb old bones by regular metabolism through osteoid formation to maintain their strength and function as supporting structure. It is getting clear that remodeling of bones at the tissue level goes through the process of activation, resorption, reversal, matrix synthesis and mineralization.

Another important function of bones is storing minerals especially by coordinating with intestines and kidneys to control calcium concentration in the blood. When something happens to this osteo metabolism, it results in abnormal morphological changes. Our analyses have been focusing mostly on the changes in the amount of bones to examine effects of calcium alkaline ionized water on the reaction system of osteo metabolism and its efficiency. Ibis time, however, we studied it further from the standpoint of histology. In other words, we conducted comparative studies on morphological and kinetic changes of osteogenesis by testing alkaline ionized water, tap water and solution of lactate on rats.

Three week old male Wistar rats were divided into 12 groups by conditions of feed and drinking water. Feeds were prepared with 0%, 30%, 60% and 100% of normal amount of calcium and were given freely. Three types of drinking water, tap water (city water, about 6ppm of Ca), calcium lactate solution (Ca=40ppm) and alkaline ionized water (Ca =40ppm, pH=9, produced by an electrolyzer NDX 4 LMC by Omco OMC Co., Ltd.) were also given keely. Rats’ weight, amount of drinking water and feed as well as the content of Ca in drinking water were assayed every day. On the 19th and 25th days of testing, tetracycline hydrochloride was added to the feed for 48 hours so as to bring its concentration to 30mg/kg. On the 30th day, blood samples were taken under Nembutal anesthesia, and tibiae, humeri and femora were taken out to make non decalcified samples. Their conditions of osteoid formation and

rotation were observed using Villanueva bone stain and Villanueva goldner stain.

Three groups that were given different types of drinking water and the same amount of Ca in the feed were compared to find out no significant difference in the rate of weight gain and intakes of feed and drinking water.

Alkaline ionized water group had significantly greater amount of tibiae and humeri with higher concentration of calcium in the bones. The group of 0% calcium in the feed saw drastic increase in the amount of osteoid. There was not much difference by types of drinking water. Almost no tetracycline was taken into tibiae and humeri, although a small amount was identified in ferora. As a result, osteogenesis went as far as osteoid formation, but it was likely that decalcification has not happened yet, or most of newly formed bones were absorbed.

As to the groups of 30% and 60% calcium in the feed, increase in the area of tetracycline take in was more identifiable with higher clarity in descending order of alkaline ionized water, calcium lactate solution and tap water groups. Especially in case of tap water group, irregularity among the areas of tetracycline take in was distinctive.

The group of 100% calcium in the feed saw some improvements in osteogenesis in descending order of alkaline ionized water, calcium lactate solution and tap water. In any case, bone formation seemed to be in good condition at near normal level.

Alkaline ionized water was regarded to be effective for improvements of osteogenesis under the conditions of insufficient calcium in the feed. Also, the extent. of dysosteogenesis differed by the region. That is, tibiae and humeri tend to have more significant dysosteogenesis than femora.

In addition, there is a possibility that osteo metabolism varies depending on enteral absorption rate of calcium, adjustment of discharge from kidneys and functional adjustment of accessory thyroid in the presence of alkaline ionized water. We are now studying its impact on calcium concentration in the blood. We are also examining whether it is possible to deter bone deterioration by testing on fast aging mouse models.

Filed Under: Osteoporosis, scientific studies

What a World! Goats producing human milk enzymes.

March 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment


Researchers from University of California Davis have reported in PLOS ONE the development of transgenic goats that produce lysozyme, an antimicrobial normally found in human breast milk. The idea is to use the milk to prevent or alleviate the effects of gastrointestinal infections.

The team then setup an experiment where two groups of pigs infected with E. coli were fed from the new, and from the boring old goat’s milk. The results showed that pigs who drank milk from the new transgenic goats did much better in recovering from the infection.

Here’s the Abstract from the study..

Childhood diarrhea is a significant problem in many developing countries and E. coli is a main causative agent of diarrhea in young children. Lysozyme is an antimicrobial protein highly expressed in human milk, but not ruminant milk, and is thought to help protect breastfeeding children against diarrheal diseases.

We hypothesized that consumption of milk from transgenic goats which produce human lysozyme (hLZ-milk) in their milk would accelerate recovery from bacterial-induced diarrhea. Young pigs were used as a model for children and infected with enterotoxigenic E. coli. Once clinical signs of diarrhea developed, pigs were fed hLZ-milk or non-transgenic control goat milk three times a day for two days.

Clinical observations and complete blood counts (CBC) were performed. Animals were euthanized and samples collected to assess differences in histology, cytokine expression and bacterial translocation into the mesenteric lymph node. Pigs consuming hLZ-milk recovered from clinical signs of infection faster than pigs consuming control milk, with significantly improved fecal consistency (p = 0.0190) and activity level (p = 0.0350). The CBC analysis showed circulating monocytes (p = 0.0413), neutrophils (p = 0.0219), and lymphocytes (p = 0.0222) returned faster to pre-infection proportions in hLZ-milk fed pigs, while control-fed pigs had significantly higher hematocrit (p = 0.027), indicating continuing dehydration. In the ileum, pigs fed hLZ-milk had significantly lower expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8 (p = 0.0271), longer intestinal villi (p<0.0001), deeper crypts (p = 0.0053), and a thinner lamina propria (p = 0.0004). These data demonstrate that consumption of hLZ-milk helped pigs recover from infection faster, making hLZ-milk an effective treatment of E. coli-induced diarrhea.

Filed Under: Autoimmune disease, scientific studies

Is your dog’s health important to you?

March 3, 2013 by Leave a Comment

I’ve been reading quite a bit recently about the relationship of dogs to the mental state of their owners. All articles seem to agree that a stressed master equals a stressed dog – and that dogs subjected to any form of intense stress can develop quite serious acidosis.

Learning that a cat or dog has something as dire sounding as metabolic acidosis, can make any pet owner concerned for their pet’s health. Metabolic acidosis is a complicated diagnosis because it may be a symptom of many other pet illnesses. Metabolic acidosis itself refers to the cat or dog’s body having an imbalance of acids and bases. Kidney damage, congenital kidney disease, diabetes, snake bites, and even ingesting antifreeze can all lead to metabolic acidosis and overall poor pet health.

Metabolic Acidosis Symptoms

Often owners are unaware that their cat or dog has this condition in the early stages as it can be a silent illness with no symptoms. In later stages of the disease, pets (both cats and dogs) may vomit, be lethargic, and stumble when walking. Pets may also have weight loss without explanation.

So when I saw this study below, I realised that we have an answer for the serious dog owner that will assist their dog and, as a side benefit, themselves. It’s alkaline ionized water. Here’s the study abstract:

 

Metabolic acidosis can occur as a result of either the accumulation of endogenous acids or loss of bicarbonate from the gastrointestinal tract or the kidney, which represent common causes of metabolic acidosis. The appropriate treatment of acute metabolic acidosis has been very controversial. Ionized alkaline water was not evaluated in such groups of patients in spite of its safety and reported benefits. So, we aimed to assess its efficacy in the management of metabolic acidosis in animal models. Two models of metabolic acidosis were created in dogs and rats. The first model of renal failure was induced by ligation of both ureters; and the second model was induced by urinary diversion to gut (gastrointestinal bicarbonate loss model). Both models were subjected to ionized alkaline water (orally and by hemodialysis). Dogs with renal failure were assigned to two groups according to the type of dialysate utilized during hemodialysis sessions, the first was utilizing alkaline water and the second was utilizing conventional water. Another two groups of animals with urinary diversion were arranged to receive oral alkaline water and tap water. In renal failure animal models, acid-base parameters improved significantly after hemodialysis with ionized alkaline water compared with the conventional water treated with reverse osmosis (RO). Similar results were observed in urinary diversion models as there was significant improvement of both the partial pressure of carbon dioxide and serum bicarbonate (P = 0.007 and 0.001 respectively) after utilizing alkaline water orally. Alkaline ionized water can be considered as a major safe strategy in the management of metabolic acidosis secondary to renal failure or dialysis or urinary diversion. Human studies are indicated in the near future to confirm this issue in humans.
(From: Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis Journal 

Volume 13, Issue 3, pages 220–224, June 2009

Filed Under: Acidosis, alkalizing, Hydration, scientific studies, Uncategorized

The reports keep coming!

December 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment

David, our resident brains trust located this excellent scientific report on the de-acidifying effect of our water. he was researching an article on alkaline ionized water and the paleo diet, which I’ve added below.

Alkalising and the Paleo Diet

by David Kirby 

AlkaWay Alkaline Specialist

 The Paleo Diet, or Stone Age Diet, is based upon what human hunter-gatherer ancestors commonly ate in the Paleolithic era of pre-history. They relied mainly on a high-protein diet of meats and saturated fats for the majority of their energy. Lots of vegetables, some seasonal fruit and weight-bearing (carrying hunks of dead mammoth) exercise are also key parts of the Paleo Diet, but grains and processed sugars must be avoided.

 According to “Contemporary Nutrition: Functional Approach” by Gordon Wardlaw, there are still some indigenous peoples today who are considered hunter-gatherers, and many studies reveal their robust health, strong bones, and low incidents of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, depression and even dental caries.  The Neolithic era began after the Paleolithic and is marked by farming and agriculture of grains. But based on fossil evidence, human stature and health conditions reduced after this change, despite some of the advantages of growing domesticated crops.

 The Paleo Diet is based on a large variety of scientific research, although there is a concern that high-protein diets not balanced with lots of vegetables can lead to over-acidity in your body, or acidosis.

Paleo dieters need  a constant balance of;

 (a) the amount of protein consumed – excess protein turns to metabolic acid and

(b) sufficient greens – a daily recommendation is up to 7 cups of greens.

(c) carbohydrates – the aim of the diet is to remove carbohydrates from the body for many, many reasons including their acidifying effect.

 Too much protein causes the body to revert to glucogenesis; the body’s production of glocose. The aim of the paleo diet is to convert from a  glucose-fuelled metabolism to the natural template of ketogenesis.

 Sufficient greens counter this by neutralising acids including acids caused by glucogenesis production.

 .Acidosis  is quite simply when the pH of the blood falls below the bottom end of the healthy pH range (normal range is 7.35-7.45).
The greens are a natural detoxifier, alkalizer and antioxidant. Given that many Paleo dieters are also high performance athletes, a regular supply of antioxidants keeps inflammation at bay. However the ability of most people to manage 7 cups of greens a day can be difficult.

 Acidosis can be an acute condition (develops quickly) or it may be a chronic condition. Acidosis may not cause any symptoms or it may be associated with nonspecific symptoms such as lethargy, depression, nausea and vomiting.

 Acute acidosis may also cause an increased rate and depth of breathing, confusion and headaches, and it can lead to seizures, coma, and in some cases death.

Luckily there is a simple and easy solution to this issue. Recent studies at the

Department of Urology, El Mansoura Urology and Nephrology Centre, MansouraUniversity, have shown that in animal experiments that acid/alkaline parameters improved significantly after using ionized alkaline water compared with the conventional water treated with reverse osmosis (RO). Similar results were observed in urinary models. There was significant improvement of both the partial pressure of carbon dioxide and serum bicarbonate after oral ingestion of alkaline water.  The University quotes “Alkaline ionized water can be considered as a major safe strategy in the management of metabolic acidosis.“ 

 The University is about to start experiments in the very near future to confirm this issue in humans.

Therefore combining the Paleo Diet with drinking Alkalised Ionized water can be critical to better long term health benefits.

It may also help with the weight loss issues by helping neutralise acids that are normally stored in body fat to protect the body from over acidity.

 

References:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19527469

http://www.livestrong.com/article/540219-paleo-diet-acidosis/#ixzz2EtnEs6AD

http://www.labtestsonline.org.au/understanding/conditions/acidosis/

Filed Under: Alkaline Paleo Diet, alkalizing, Antioxidants, Low carb, low carbohydrate diet, scientific studies, Water Ionizers

A Bra that detects breast cancer

October 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Just Breast cancer?

Hmm. what about underpants that detect prostate or testicular cancer?

A trendy chapeau that detects brain cancer. A scarf that detects throat cancer, or an undershirt that detects lung cancer?.. any other great ideas? or.. what about living a  life that isn’t making you a statistic? Our friend Lillian Davenport is recovering from breast cancer with the assistance of her enlightened doctor, Tom Cowan who has followed his years of personal experience and recommended paleo diet rather than the usual virtually unworkable Gerson diet. So why don’t we know about the paleo diet and cancer?

Because – as usual – no studies have been done.. and as usual the ‘why’ is in the fact that the corps can’t make money from a diet.

It appears that we the people have to take our future health into our own hands, and a small investment in good research that creates outcomes for the people rather than the corporations is the way to go. Cassie found a great initiative put out by these folks to make it happen for the paleo diet. We’ve donated $100. Care to match us? With only a couple of thousand of like minded future-lovers we can achieve great things for all people.

Filed Under: Alkaline Diet, Alkaline Paleo Diet, Low carb, low carbohydrate diet, Paleo, scientific studies

Groundwater and Drinking Water, and a good reason for a good water filter.

September 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment

As we all know, The US is in the middle (we hope) of a terrible drought. I say we hope because we don’t know if it has reached midpoint. All we know is that it is threatening our food supply in a manner unknown since the disastrous dust bowl days of the thirties.

The video below is a time lapse of the ground water supplies across the USA, It ebbs and flows because ground water reserves vary with the season. But wait for the last ten seconds when the brown (no water) areas show the true picture.

What frightens me about this isn’t just the lack of water. It’s the lesson I learned in Australia’s four year drought. During that time reservoirs dropped to alarming levels, and the parasite levels in the remaining water became very concentrated.

Groundwater across the developed world has a similar problem, but not of parasites. This time it’s pollution; toxic waste that has been disposed of carelessly over many years and is now a huge sludge sitting at the lower reaches of the aquifers we depend on. Just like Australia, I expect that as our groundwater level drops, and we continue to pump this water onto our crops, we will be pumping increasingly chemical and toxic water onto our food crops. And of course, it will also seep back into the ground, some of it will find its way back to our reservoirs… Need I say more? I’m sure I’ve depressed you enough for one day.

Filed Under: Autoimmune disease, cancer, Environment, scientific studies, Water filtration, Water Toxins Tagged With: ,

Two Colas a day for kids = heart disease

July 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Children who drink sugar-laden fizzy drinks may be at greater risk of developing heart disease later in life, a new study suggests.
 

Researchers at the University of Sydney found that the children who drank one or more soft drinks each day had narrower arteries in the back part of the eye — a factor associated with increased risk of heart disease and high blood pressure, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

That was a potential marker for future cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure, researchers from the Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research at the university said.

The report echoed the findings of a 2007 study that people who drank soda every day — even diet soda — were more likely to develop risk factors for heart disease.

Filed Under: Acidosis, Hydration, scientific studies, Water Toxins Tagged With: ,

The Chinese Alkaway

June 23, 2012 by 1 Comment

We’ve known for a long time that Chinese Taoist monks are reknowned for their alkaline physiology. They are strong, can run miles, and yet live life in a detaching way. What we like to call – perhaps a little presumptuously – the AlkaWay.

Now a little piece of the puzzle had revealed itself.

In an article published June 19 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, Scientists from the University of South Florida and Fudan University in Shanghai found increases in brain volume and improvements on tests of memory and thinking in Chinese seniors who practiced Tai Chi three times a week.

Findings were based on an 8-month randomized controlled trial comparing those who practiced Tai Chi to a group who received no intervention. The same trial showed increases in brain volume and more limited cognitive improvements in a group that participated in lively discussions three times per week over the same time period.

Previous trials have shown increases in brain volume in people who participated in aerobic exercise, and in one of these trials, an improvement in memory was seen. However, this was the first trial to show that a less aerobic form of exercise, Tai Chi, as well as stimulating discussion led to similar increases in brain volume and improvements on psychological tests of memory and thinking.

The group that did not participate in the interventions showed brain shrinkage over the same time period, consistent with what generally has been observed for persons in their 60s and 70s.

Numerous studies have shown that dementia and the syndrome of gradual cognitive deterioration that precedes it is associated with increasing shrinkage of the brain as nerve cells and their connections are gradually lost.

“The ability to reverse this trend with physical exercise and increased mental activity implies that it may be possible to delay the onset of dementia in older persons through interventions that have many physical and mental health benefits,” said lead author Dr. James Mortimer, professor of epidemiology at the University of South Florida College of Public Health.

Research suggests that aerobic exercise is associated with increased production of brain growth factors. It remains to be determined whether forms of exercise like Tai Chi that include an important mental exercise component could lead to similar changes in the production of these factors. “If this is shown, then it would provide strong support to the concept of “use it or lose it” and encourage seniors to stay actively involved both intellectually and physically,” Dr. Mortimer said.

One question raised by the research is whether sustained physical and mental exercise can contribute to the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common dementing illness.

“Epidemiologic studies have shown repeatedly that individuals who engage in more physical exercise or are more socially active have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” Dr. Mortimer said. “The current findings suggest that this may be a result of growth and preservation of critical regions of the brain affected by this illness.”

Filed Under: alkalizing, scientific studies Tagged With: , ,