How Safe Is The Pill?

Studies in recent years have found that birth control pill use increases risk of cervical cancer, increases risk of breast cancer in pre-menopausal women, increases risk of blood clots and stroke, lowers bone density causing thinner bones and greater risk of osteoporosis later in life, impairs muscle gains in women, interferes with a protein that keeps testosterone unavailable leading to long term sexual dysfunction including decreased desire and arousal, increases artery plaque build-up that raises risk of heart disease. To read more, http://www.livescience.com/health/090507-sos-pill.html and http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/05/30/How-Safe-is-the-Pill.aspx

Probiotics During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Help Women Lose Weight

Women given supplements containing Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium from their 1st trimester of pregnancy until they stopped exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months were associated with less central obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of >30 or a waist circumference of >80 cm. Previous research from 17th European Congress on Obesity in Netherlands May 6-9 2009 found that microbial populations in the gut are different between obese and lean people and that when obese people lose weight their microflora changes. Microflora in obese people are much more efficient at extracting calories from food, thus contributing to weight gain. Research shows probiotics given in pregnancy and infancy help protect babies from developing eczema, prevent childhood allergies, optimize infant's weight later in life, reduce colic (decreasing crying times by 75%), reduce risk of premature labour. To read more, http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/05/30/The-Newfound-Link-Between-Probiotics.aspx

Top 10 Healthy Foods that won't Break the Bank

"I can't afford to be healthy" is a poor excuse with these top 10 inexpensive healthy foods:
1. Eggs - even free range is $1.10 per serve
2. Turkey - cheaper than chicken and good protein
3. Oats - low GI, about 28c per serve!
4. Canned beans eg. kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils $1.50 per can
5. Apples - see earlier article for their antioxidant value
6. Asian greens - Bok choy, choy sum, Chinese cabbage, about $1.50 per bunch
7. Red Lentils - about $2 for a whole bag, no need to pre-soak, add to soups, stews, casseroles
8. Pumpkin - lots of betacarotene, low GI, cheap!
9. Raw walnuts - seem expensive at $6 for 250gm bag but daily serve of 30gm is 76c so they work out cheaper than potato chips and very high in omega 3 oils
10. Raw almonds - as above with walnuts, high in calcium too
To read more, http://www.thefoodcoach.com.au/articles.asp?ArticleID=587

Middle Age Abdominal Fat linked to Frailty Later in Life

A Finnish study published in the European Heart Journal of more than 1000 men found the highest risk of death and illness in those who put on weight in their 40s or middle age. To read more, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/health/8063140.stm

New Sweetener Erythritol in VitaminWater Drinks

If you look at the ingredients of VitaminWater owned by Coca Cola, you might think it is moderately healthy. However, you will also notice that it is loaded with crystalline fructose, sucrose and a mysterious product called Erythritol. Basically a lot of sugars and not much health benefits! Erythritol is a sugar alcohol with fewer calories than sugar because it is not completely absorbed into the body which can lead to abdominal gas and diarrhoea. To read more, http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/05/26/What-is-Erythritol-Doing-in-Vitamin-Water.aspx

Tuna is Getting More Toxic

The rate of mercury contamination and other Pacific fish has increaed 30% since 1990. The increase is a direct result of China's rapid industrialization, with mercury content expected to increase another 50% by 2050 if China continues to build more coal-fired power plants. The data comes from a new study by the USA Geologic Survey.
For more information, http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/05/21/Your-Tuna-is-Getting-More-Toxic.aspx

Some Baby Foods are Worse than Junk Food

Some baby foods contain as much sugar and fats as chocolate cookies or cheeseburgers. The Children's Food Campaign (USA) examined the nutritional content of 107 baby and toddler foods and found many contained 29% sugar, trans fats (linked with heart disease), high in salt. Even some of the organic baby foods either were high in salt, packaged in plastic containers containing BFAs, were very expensive. They noted there is one option that is affordable, tasty and healthy: making your own. For more information, http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/05/21/Some-Baby-Foods-are-Worse-Than-Junk-Food.aspx

IVF twins 'sicker' in early life

Experts suggest that IVF tiwns face more health problems in early life than naturally conceived twins. A study found that these babies were far more likely to be admitted to neonatal intensive care and to be hospitalised in their first year of life. For more information, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8057210.stm

Women 'fight off disease better'

A Canadian study indicates that the female sex hormone oestrogen gives women's immune systems added bite at fighting off infection. Oestrogen seems to counter an enzyme that blocks the inflammatory process.
To read more go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8047321.stm

An Apple a day really can keep the doctor away...

In the latest scientific review on apples, apples are shown to be protective for cancers of the colon, lung and breast - as well as to reduce the risk of heart disease, asthma and type 2 diabetes. The high antioxidant capacity of apples is believed to be one of the reasons for their impressive disease fighting potential.

To read more go to http://www.thefoodcoach.com.au

Poor Diet, Low Exercise Leads to Breast Cancer in Later Years

Naturalnews.com, Monday, May 04, 2009 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer

A poor diet and a lack of exercise in childhood significantly increase a girl's risk of breast cancer later in life, according to the findings of a study conducted by researchers from the European Cancer Prevention Organization, presented at the conference of the European Society for Medical Oncology and published in the journal Pediatrics.

Vitamin D hope in prostate cancer

Vitamin D is an effective treatment for some prostate cancer patients, say UK researchers. To read more, http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/health/8017323.stm