Vitamin C Intake Associated With Lower Risk Of Gout In Men
ScienceDaily (Mar. 16, 2009) — Men with higher vitamin C intake appear less likely to develop gout, a painful type of arthritis, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
"Gout is the most common type of inflammatory arthritis in men," the authors write as background information in the article. "Epidemiologic studies suggest that the overall disease burden of gout is substantial and growing. The identification of the risk factors for gout that are modifiable with available measures is an important first step in the prevention and management of this common and excruciatingly painful condition."
Hyon K. Choi, M.D., Dr.P.H., then of University of British Columbia, Vancouver, and now of Boston University School of Medicine, and colleagues examined the relationship between vitamin C intake and gout in 46,994 men between 1986 and 2006. Every four years, the men completed a dietary questionnaire, and their vitamin C intake through food and supplements was computed. Every two years, participants reported whether they had been diagnosed with or developed symptoms of gout.
During 20 years of follow-up, 1,317 men developed gout. Compared with men who had a vitamin C intake of less than 250 milligrams per day, the relative risk of gout was 17 percent lower for those with a daily intake of 500 to 999 milligrams, 34 percent lower for those with an intake of 1,000 to 1,499 milligrams per day and 45 percent lower for those with an intake of 1,500 milligrams per day or higher. For every 500-milligram increase in their vitamin C intake, men's risk for gout appeared to decrease by 17 percent. Compared with men who did not take vitamin C supplements, those who took 1,000 to 1,499 supplemental milligrams per day had a 34 percent lower risk of gout and those who took 1,500 supplemental milligrams per day had a 45 percent lower risk.
Vitamin C appears to reduce levels of uric acid in the blood, the authors note; a buildup of this naturally occurring compound can form crystal deposits in and around joints, leading to the pain, inflammation and swelling associated with gout. Vitamin C may affect reabsorption of uric acid by the kidneys, increase the speed at which the kidneys work or protect against inflammation, all of which may reduce gout risk, the authors note.
"Given the general safety profile associated with vitamin C intake, particularly in the generally consumed ranges as in the present study (e.g., tolerable upper intake level of vitamin C of less than 2,000 milligrams in adults according to the Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine), vitamin C intake may provide a useful option in the prevention of gout," they conclude.
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Amalaki, the main ingredient of a comprehensive herbal tonic CHYAVANPRASH, is the richest source of natural Vit. C
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
UnTech Yourself: Simplify Your Life!
Technology can definitely make life easier.
E-mail, rapid communication, RSS and the Internet create vast opportunities for new information. But technology isn't perfect. Adopting new technologies can have a sharp learning curve and many programs have unseen bugs and usability problems. Even more worrying is the fact that this boost in information can cause overload, zapping your time in endless e-mails and feeds to read.
Breaking your paradigm of technology as a cure-all to every problem can open you up to other avenues for solving problems. Technology may be innovative and wonderful, but learning when to unplug the power cord can help simplify your life. Here are some ways you can untech yourself to simplify your life and get more done.
Internet Dieting
Internet, IM, e-mail and web-surfing can be very distracting, often without providing a lot of value. These empty calories often disguise themselves as necessary information but are just noise. Start a thirty day Internet diet to reduce the total amount of time you spend connected to the net.
Notepads
Turn off the blackberry and try using a paper organizer. It may not be as flashy, but it is amazing how effective they are for having basically two features: write and read. Keeping a notepad with you means zero learning curve, zero interruptions and only stores information not noise.
Television Blackouts
Television is full of stimulation. When television is good it can be entertaining, humorous, dramatic and a social activity. When it's bad it is flashing lights providing distraction without value. You might want to experiment with cutting down on television, especially when you know in advance that there isn't going to be any worthwhile programming.
Try cutting down your morning news and replace it with reading books or newspapers. The information will usually be more valuable and text is nonlinear so you can skip information that doesn't interest you. Best of all most books don't have commercials.
iPod Mute
I'll admit it, I love my mp3 player. Great for workouts and doing boring tasks it can add a bit of extra flavor to regular activities. But sometimes the constant noise and music can desensitize you to experiencing the world around you and cut you off from interacting with other people.
Try turning off the iPod periodically. Drive to work without any music. Try exercising with quiet. Try walking in silence when you are by yourself. Not only will this allow you to reconnect with what you are engaged in, it makes it easier for you to actually notice the music when it is playing instead of just having noise.
Read Books
Remember when books used to be made of paper? Cut back on your online reading and head to the library or bookstore and get something you can hold in your hands. Although some online reading is definitely better than books, if your entire library would consist of 500 word articles with flashy headlines, you probably aren't getting a lot of depth.
Get Back to Nature
Go out and spend a half hour in nature. If you live in a big city, at least look for a park or a relatively quiet area. Having a bit of solitude in a natural setting can often inspire ideas where everything is calm. Remember not to bring the cellphone or Blackberry!
Getting back to a natural environment can break away the endless distractions of life and give you some time to really think. I've had many of my best ideas on hikes and walks through nature. If you live in a highly technological world, spending a few hours or days can create even more ideas. I don't believe that this is because nature has some mystical power but simply that it is often such a dramatic change in environment that it triggers new ideas.
Cooked from Scratch
Technology also appears in our food, even if it isn't in the form of circuit boards. Having easy premade and tasty food can be great in a hectic lifestyle, but this kind of eating isn't usually healthiest. Try cutting back on processed foods and making more meals from scratch. Most people say they don't have time, but I believe it is really that they don't know how.
Even if you aren't going to be featured on Iron Chef anytime soon, try cooking a new meal from scratch. I've found that you can often modify recipes to be cooked in less time without resorting to tasteless and processed filler. You might want to set out an hour or two a week to experiment with a new recipe.
Technology is a Tool
I'm not going to be joining the Amish anytime soon. I love the many ways that technology can make us more efficient and connect us with other people. But like any tool, you need to see where its limits are.
If you find yourself becoming a technophile try unteching some areas of your life. You might find a little less tech can bring a lot more value.
By Scott Young.
Technology can definitely make life easier.
E-mail, rapid communication, RSS and the Internet create vast opportunities for new information. But technology isn't perfect. Adopting new technologies can have a sharp learning curve and many programs have unseen bugs and usability problems. Even more worrying is the fact that this boost in information can cause overload, zapping your time in endless e-mails and feeds to read.
Breaking your paradigm of technology as a cure-all to every problem can open you up to other avenues for solving problems. Technology may be innovative and wonderful, but learning when to unplug the power cord can help simplify your life. Here are some ways you can untech yourself to simplify your life and get more done.
Internet Dieting
Internet, IM, e-mail and web-surfing can be very distracting, often without providing a lot of value. These empty calories often disguise themselves as necessary information but are just noise. Start a thirty day Internet diet to reduce the total amount of time you spend connected to the net.
Notepads
Turn off the blackberry and try using a paper organizer. It may not be as flashy, but it is amazing how effective they are for having basically two features: write and read. Keeping a notepad with you means zero learning curve, zero interruptions and only stores information not noise.
Television Blackouts
Television is full of stimulation. When television is good it can be entertaining, humorous, dramatic and a social activity. When it's bad it is flashing lights providing distraction without value. You might want to experiment with cutting down on television, especially when you know in advance that there isn't going to be any worthwhile programming.
Try cutting down your morning news and replace it with reading books or newspapers. The information will usually be more valuable and text is nonlinear so you can skip information that doesn't interest you. Best of all most books don't have commercials.
iPod Mute
I'll admit it, I love my mp3 player. Great for workouts and doing boring tasks it can add a bit of extra flavor to regular activities. But sometimes the constant noise and music can desensitize you to experiencing the world around you and cut you off from interacting with other people.
Try turning off the iPod periodically. Drive to work without any music. Try exercising with quiet. Try walking in silence when you are by yourself. Not only will this allow you to reconnect with what you are engaged in, it makes it easier for you to actually notice the music when it is playing instead of just having noise.
Read Books
Remember when books used to be made of paper? Cut back on your online reading and head to the library or bookstore and get something you can hold in your hands. Although some online reading is definitely better than books, if your entire library would consist of 500 word articles with flashy headlines, you probably aren't getting a lot of depth.
Get Back to Nature
Go out and spend a half hour in nature. If you live in a big city, at least look for a park or a relatively quiet area. Having a bit of solitude in a natural setting can often inspire ideas where everything is calm. Remember not to bring the cellphone or Blackberry!
Getting back to a natural environment can break away the endless distractions of life and give you some time to really think. I've had many of my best ideas on hikes and walks through nature. If you live in a highly technological world, spending a few hours or days can create even more ideas. I don't believe that this is because nature has some mystical power but simply that it is often such a dramatic change in environment that it triggers new ideas.
Cooked from Scratch
Technology also appears in our food, even if it isn't in the form of circuit boards. Having easy premade and tasty food can be great in a hectic lifestyle, but this kind of eating isn't usually healthiest. Try cutting back on processed foods and making more meals from scratch. Most people say they don't have time, but I believe it is really that they don't know how.
Even if you aren't going to be featured on Iron Chef anytime soon, try cooking a new meal from scratch. I've found that you can often modify recipes to be cooked in less time without resorting to tasteless and processed filler. You might want to set out an hour or two a week to experiment with a new recipe.
Technology is a Tool
I'm not going to be joining the Amish anytime soon. I love the many ways that technology can make us more efficient and connect us with other people. But like any tool, you need to see where its limits are.
If you find yourself becoming a technophile try unteching some areas of your life. You might find a little less tech can bring a lot more value.
By Scott Young.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Getting Children to Eat Vegetables
A recent study has discovered a simple way to get young children to eat their vegetables. Almost every mother knows about the trouble that has to be gone through in order to get young children to eat their daily requirement of vegetables. It's a hard ordeal.
Fortunately, a study undertaken by Cornell University has revealed that simply by allocating catchy new names to ordinary vegetables results in even very picky youngsters to ask for more! Some of the names that they tried and proved very successful were, 'Tomato Bursts' and 'X-Ray Vision Carrots'
The study involved the participation of 186 four-year olds. When they were offered ordinary carrots that were called "X-ray Vision Carrots", the children ate almost double the amount compared to when they were given carrots as just 'carrots' on their other lunch days.
Interestingly, even after the study, the same children ate 50% more carrots when they were called just 'carrots'.
The author of the study, Brian Wansink said, "Cool names can make for cool foods," adding that "Whether it be 'power peas' or 'dinosaur broccoli trees,' giving a food a fun name makes kids think it will be more fun to eat. And it seems to keep working – even the next day."
Even adults are susceptible to the names of foods. A study conducted on restaurants found that when 'Seafood Filet' was changed to "Succulent Italian Seafood Filet," taste rating increased by 12% and sales increased by 28%. Wansink said it was the "Same food, but different expectations, and a different experience."
Researcher Collin Payne said that the trick can be used outside of pre-school children too. He said, "I've been using this with my kids," and added that "Whatever sparks their imagination seems to spark their appetite."
A recent study has discovered a simple way to get young children to eat their vegetables. Almost every mother knows about the trouble that has to be gone through in order to get young children to eat their daily requirement of vegetables. It's a hard ordeal.
Fortunately, a study undertaken by Cornell University has revealed that simply by allocating catchy new names to ordinary vegetables results in even very picky youngsters to ask for more! Some of the names that they tried and proved very successful were, 'Tomato Bursts' and 'X-Ray Vision Carrots'
The study involved the participation of 186 four-year olds. When they were offered ordinary carrots that were called "X-ray Vision Carrots", the children ate almost double the amount compared to when they were given carrots as just 'carrots' on their other lunch days.
Interestingly, even after the study, the same children ate 50% more carrots when they were called just 'carrots'.
The author of the study, Brian Wansink said, "Cool names can make for cool foods," adding that "Whether it be 'power peas' or 'dinosaur broccoli trees,' giving a food a fun name makes kids think it will be more fun to eat. And it seems to keep working – even the next day."
Even adults are susceptible to the names of foods. A study conducted on restaurants found that when 'Seafood Filet' was changed to "Succulent Italian Seafood Filet," taste rating increased by 12% and sales increased by 28%. Wansink said it was the "Same food, but different expectations, and a different experience."
Researcher Collin Payne said that the trick can be used outside of pre-school children too. He said, "I've been using this with my kids," and added that "Whatever sparks their imagination seems to spark their appetite."
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Psyllium Husk (Isabgol) for Constipation
It is imperative to drink copious quantities of
water when taking psyllium, otherwise it just adds to the already
existing problem of constipation. It clogs things up further.
Personally I think Triphala is a much more user friendly product, and
according to David Frawley safe to use on a long term basis. It also
tones the colon and has high levels of Vitamin C.---claire lafferty
It is imperative to drink copious quantities of
water when taking psyllium, otherwise it just adds to the already
existing problem of constipation. It clogs things up further.
Personally I think Triphala is a much more user friendly product, and
according to David Frawley safe to use on a long term basis. It also
tones the colon and has high levels of Vitamin C.---claire lafferty
Monday, March 02, 2009
Tulsi to 'insulate' the Taj Mahal
Lukhnow - Tulsi, known for its medicinal qualities, will
now help protect the Taj Mahal from environmental
pollution. In an exercise being undertaken by the Uttar
Pradesh Forest Department and the Lucknow-based Organic
India, a million tulsi saplings will be planted near the
marble mausoleum.
Tulsi is one of the best plants to purify the environment.
It cleanses as it releases high amounts of oxygen, which minimises the
adverse impact of industrial and refinery emission. - PTI
The Hindu
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Lukhnow - Tulsi, known for its medicinal qualities, will
now help protect the Taj Mahal from environmental
pollution. In an exercise being undertaken by the Uttar
Pradesh Forest Department and the Lucknow-based Organic
India, a million tulsi saplings will be planted near the
marble mausoleum.
Tulsi is one of the best plants to purify the environment.
It cleanses as it releases high amounts of oxygen, which minimises the
adverse impact of industrial and refinery emission. - PTI
The Hindu
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
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