There are all kinds of beneficial bacteria that we should consume to aid our digestive health. Acidophilous is one that researchers have touted for many years as a great helper.

Found in yogurt, which is essentially fermented milk, acidophilus and several other cultures are used during the fermentation process. But there is another fermented product, this one made from soybeans, that might be doing double-duty in the body.

Everyone knows that exercise is a must for keeping diabetic blood sugars under wraps. However, a new study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences has found that intense interval training outperforms steady-state cardio in terms of blood sugar management.

The study included a group of nine newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic adults. The researchers asked one group to exercise with alternating bouts of intensity (interval training) while another was instructed to follow a standard 30 to 60 minute cardio workout. At the end of the 12-week intervention the interval trainers had better beta-cell function and insulin levels than those that relied on steady state cardio.

More ways to stop diabetes in its tracks…
To Your Health,

Jodi Knapp

It’s common knowledge that working out helps manage and reduce high blood pressure levels. A new study conducted by scientists at North Carolina’s Appalachian State University found that early-morning exercise was most effective at dropping high blood pressure.

In the study a group of adults with hypertension were asked to exercise at three different times of the day: 7am, 1pm or 7pm. The researchers found that those that got their workout in in the morning dropped their blood pressure by 10 percent –an effect that remained throughout the entire day. The scientists added that adequate sleep is a must for the 7am workout sessions to be effective.

Simple exercises that drastically drop blood pressure…

Warm regards,

Christian Goodman

A while back a reader wrote in because she was concerned about her doctor’s recent prognosis that the cartilage in her knees was breaking down to the point that only surgery to replace them will be the answer. Either that, or soon she wouldn’t be able to walk at all.

There are other doctors out there who disagree, though. Many go so far as to say that with the right support, supplements, and exercise, that the cartilage can be rebuilt, thereby avoiding the knife and very expensive surgery.

Vertigo –characterized by chronic dizziness and nausea—can be helped by taking supplemental ginger, a study published in the journal “Otorhinolaryngol Related Specimens” found. In the study, a group of vertigo patients were given either ginger root extract or a placebo.

They found that ginger helped reduce symptoms of vertigo better than the placebo. While researchers are unsure of how ginger works, they hypothesize that ginger helps reduce inflammation in the area of the ears responsible for balance. It’s not yet clear whether eating ginger as an herb will have the same beneficial effects.

More natural vertigo remedies here…

Warm regards,

Christian Goodman

It’s common knowledge that the calcium in dairy is good for bone health. A new study out of Australia’s Monash University has found that dairy does double duty for your body by reducing blood pressure.

In the study, the research team pooled together the results from five other research studies. They found that regularly consuming low-fat dairy products like yogurt, cottage cheese and skim milk reduced high blood pressure risk by nearly 15 percent. However, no association between blood pressure and dairy was found with full-fat dairy products like whole milk and ice cream.

More natural treatments for blood pressure here…
Warm regards,

Christian Goodman

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People relying on medications to treat their arthritis symptoms should consider adding Tai-Chi to their treatment regimen, reports a new study published in this week’s British Medical Journal. This study pooled together the results of nine other studies that had investigated Tai-Chi’s effects on osteoarthritis of the knee.

On average, they found that regularly practicing Tai-Chi reduced pain by more than 20 percent. Importantly, very few of the volunteers in the studies reported any negative side effects. The researchers also report that osteoarthritis sufferers that try Tai-Chi also tend to have lower levels of stiffness and greater levels of physical function.

Here are even more natural ways to relieve arthritis pain…

Best of Wellness…

Shelly Manning

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Recently, the US Surgeon General’s office released information on a new health campaign called “Script Your Health.”

It serves to reduce the complications of not taking prescribed medication properly. It is designed to help people who are on maintenance medications to remember to take everything they should, when they should.

The biggest healthcare consumer group to have the most trouble with non-compliance is teenagers, followed by Baby Boomers. Teens are forgetful, and Baby Boomers comprise the highest population of medicine users.

Every diabetic knows the importance of exercise for reducing high blood sugar readings. However, a new study by a team of Australian scientists found that it doesn’t take much exercise to reduce the risk of high blood sugar.

The study team asked a group of volunteers to wear a pedometer –a portable device that tracks the number of steps that you take in a day—for 5-years. They found that just 10.000 steps per day reduced the risk of elevated blood sugar by 13 percent. They note that current type 2 diabetics and pre-diabetics could benefit greatly by including 10.000 steps per day as part of their healthy lifestyle.

More natural methods do fight type 2 diabetes…

To Your Health,

Jodi Knapp

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Downing sugary drinks like cola and fruit juice dramatically increases the chances one will suffer from high blood pressure, a team from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London found this week.

The study linked beverage consumption and blood pressure readings of about 2700 adults living in the UK. They found that consuming just one sugary drink every day increases systolic blood pressure by 1.6 mmHg and diastolic by .8 mmHg. Additionally, the research team found a clear link between sugary beverages and elevated BMI –an important risk factor for hypertension.

Here are some other simple ways to drop blood pressure…

Warm regards,

Christian Goodman

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