Zika and Microcephaly: Pieces of the Puzzle
Written by Joyce Smith, BS. An increasing mosquito population, overuse of pesticides, vaccines and the Zika virus may all play a potential role in the increasing prevalence of microcephaly in Brazil.
Lowering Blood Pressure with Taurine in Prehypertension
Written by Marcia J. Egles, MD. Studies show that taurine significantly reduces blood pressure and improves vascular function in prehypertensive individuals.
Melatonin Improves Sleep Quality in Intensive Care Patients
Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Of the 40 patients in this study, those in a quiet environment who took melatonin had 33.9% more sleep and 50% less awakenings than the placebo group.
Selenium Shows Promise for Women’s Health
Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. 78% of the participating women who supplemented with selenium for 6 months had improved cervical cell health compared to 50% of women in the control group.
Supplementing with Chromium shown to Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk
Written by Jessica Patella, ND. Those who supplemented with 2000 micrograms of chromium per day for 30 days had a 27% lower risk of developing diabetes than those who did not supplement.
Study Review Links more Potassium and Less Sodium to Healthier Blood Pressure
Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Review of 15 studies reveals that high potassium diets along with potassium supplementation significantly reduced blood pressure readings in those with normal or elevated blood pressures.
Whole Grains, Cereal Fiber and Death
Written by Marcia J. Egles, MD. This study of 367,442 adults, ages 50 – 71, demonstrated that those with the highest intake of whole grains had a 17% lower risk of all cause mortality. In the highest grain intake group, those with diabetes showed the greatest mortality reduction rate of 48%.
Sage Shown to Significantly Reduce Cholesterol Levels
Written by Jessica Patella, ND. Those who supplemented with sage for 2 months saw a significant average improvement of 19% in all markers of cholesterol while the control group saw no significant changes.
Eucalyptus Shows Promise for Lung Health
Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Of the 247 study participants, those who took cineole (a eucalyptus component) experienced a 55% improvement in ability to inhale; a 50% improvement in Quality of Life scores and a 42% increase in total air breathed (forced vital capacity).
Vitamin A Improves Thyroid Function in Premenopausal Women
Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. In this study of 84 healthy premenopausal women (aged 17 – 50), those who took 25000 IU of Vitamin A daily for 4 months decreased their thyroid stimulating hormones to normal levels compared to placebo. Researchers suggested that Vitamin A is effective in correcting mild thyroid abnormalities.
