. . . a modest reduction could reduce hypertension by up to 30%Dietary salt intake in the US is on the rise. According to a study on salt consumption done a couple of years ago at the University of California at San Francisco, this increase is primarily due to our growing consumption of processed foods, which currently supply 75-80% of the salt content in the American diet. These researchers calculated that lowering salt consumption by 3 grams a day would reduce the number of men with high blood pressure by 22-34%; reduce the number of women with high blood pressure by 16-24%; greatly diminish new cases of coronary heart disease, strokes, heart attacks and all-cause death; and save $10-24 billion yearly in health care costs.The US Department of Health and Human Services as well as the Department of Agriculture recommend limiting salt to less than 5.8 grams a day (that’s about one teaspoon of salt and 2,300 mg of sodium), and less than 3.7 grams a day (about ¾ teaspoon) for those over t…

. . . fish oils outperform statins and reduce the risk of a first-time heart attack by 35%The connection between fish oil and heart health has been studied for the past 40 years, and its many benefits for the cardiovascular system are well-documented. Our bodies need a whole host of nutrients every day to maintain health. If even one of these is absent or deficient long-term, disease is inevitable. For reasons discussed at length in The Roadmap to Choosing Supplements, both a very good diet AND high-quality supplements are necessary today to get all the nutrients we need. The reason fish oil has helped to correct heart disease is because it contains omega 3 fatty acids, and about 90% of our population is deficient in these essential fatty acids.The omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil protect our hearts in many different ways. First they are anti-arrhythmic. That means they counteract and prevent cardiac arrhythmias. Next they are antithrombotic, which means they “thin the blood” and keep i…

. . . or getting the most benefit from that vitamin D you're takingYou may have heard that vitamin D is important and checked your multi to make sure it includes vitamin D. If it’s our multi, and you’re taking 2 tablets a day, you’re getting 800 IU of the highest quality vitamin D3 available. Noting that this is more than the Recommended Daily Allowance for most people, you may assume you’re getting enough.Or maybe you spend a lot of time in the sun during the summer months soaking up those vitamin-D producing UV rays. Again, you may assume your vitamin D blood levels are more than adequate.In both cases you may be wrong.Vitamin D experts recommend that you maintain a blood level of vitamin D in the upper-normal range, which would be 50 ng/mL or more on the 25(OH)D test. But in a 2006 study, Bischoff-Ferrari and colleagues found that 700-1,000 IU of vitamin D taken for eight weeks resulted in less than half of average healthy adults achieving 30 ng/mL. This is the low edge of the norma…

. . . and are needed by every cell in your body for good healthA recent study in the Journal of Bone Mineral Research done on postmenopausal women found being low in omega 3 fatty acids, as well as having an imbalanced ratio of omega 3s to omega 6 fatty acids, were predictive of hip fractures.When we talk about essential fatty acids, we are talking about two kinds of fat that the body can’t make on its own, so they must be consumed. They are essential because it’s impossible to live without them. These are the omega 3 fatty acids (normally associated with fish and flax oils) and the omega 6 fatty acids (normally associated with nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and animal fats). For optimal health, we need to consume enough of both, in roughly equal amounts. Unfortunately most people don’t get enough omega 3s – in fact research indicates that 20% of the US population has so little omega-3s in their blood that it can’t even be measured by standard tests. Instead of a healthy ratio of 1:1, the…

What is Diabetes?Decades ago, type 2 diabetes used to be called "sugar diabetes." There was a reason for this. Eating sugar causes diabetes. Too bad we have moved away from that accurate description of this disease. However, sugar causes another form of diabetes—diabetes of the brain. We call it Alzheimer’s disease. Diabetes is the condition where your body’s response to insulin is weakened, and sugar is no longer adequately transported into cells. Insulin resistance is the result of constantly assaulting your body with the dangerous toxin known as sugar. Excessive sugar, especially fructose, and grain consumption are the driving factors behind insulin resistance. Grains, even whole grains, will flood the body with too much sugar and cause insulin resistance. Insulin resistance contributes massively to inflammation, and inflammation will damage and degenerate your brain.Your brain is almost totally dependent on sugar to make the energy it needs to function. Constantly assaulting t…

With statistics showing their risk of heart disease increases with age, seniors are constantly reminded to go easy on their heart. So it may seem counter-intuitive, even dangerous, to get more active in retirement.But can adding in a bit of daily activity or exercise lower that risk and improve overall heart health in aging seniors? That’s what a team of researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and the University of Porto in Portugal recently set out to determine.As part of a larger community-based study on heart disease risk factors called the Cardiovascular Health Study, 985 adults aged 65 and older wore heart monitors 24 hours a day for 5 years. In the new study, researchers analyzed recordings of their heart rate variability, those time differences between one heartbeat and the next during normal daily activity.According to researcher and lead author of the study Dr. Luisa Soares-Miranda, when monitoring changes in heart rate variability, scientists can predict…

. . . is vitamin D deficiency the primary cause of winter colds and flu?Some vitamin D experts believe vitamin D deficiency may be the root cause of winter colds and flu. They point out that we get far less sunlight in the winter (our skin makes vitamin D from UV rays from the sun), and that although vitamin D can be stored in the body for long periods of time, most people don’t make enough during the summer months to last through the winter. The result is that low blood levels of vitamin D are almost universal during the winter months, coinciding with the flu season.While we need all the vitamins and minerals to build a healthy immune system, and some in particular (vitamins A, C, E, and many of the B vitamins, in addition to zinc and selenium), there is evidence that vitamin D is critical to immune function.A 2012 study in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology showed that vitamin D levels are lowest in those of us over sixty (the ability to convert the sun’s rays into vitamin D decreases…

. . . beautiful skin comes from withinAre you trying to cultivate a leathery, coarse look in your complexion? How about more and deeper wrinkles? Discoloration? And sagging skin? Well then, ramp up your glycemic index with lots of sugar, fruit juice, sodas and refined carbohydrates! You’ll also want to load up on fatty meats, especially cooked at high temperatures, along with full-fat dairy products and plenty of processed foods!What all of these will do is to increase glycation in your body, a process that encourages aging, chronic disease and an early death. But of course, most importantly, it can make you look just terrible!When you glycate something, you combine it with sugar. Proteins can become glycated and so can fats. In cooking, this is called caramelization or browning; in chemistry it's called a Maillard reaction. In the body, glycation damages body proteins, producing something called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs).How does this affect the skin? AGEs interact with a…

. . . vitamin D beats depression year-roundIt’s not just in the winter that sufficient vitamin D beats the blues. Large amounts of vitamin D are found in areas in the brain (the hippocampus, amygdala and cerebellum) involved in emotion and cognition, so a deficiency could be expected to impact both emotional and cognitive function. A 2006 study in older adults found that it did just that. Those with vitamin D levels below 20 ng/DL were 11 times more likely to be depressed, and they also suffered from more cognitive impairments.This past June, Dr. Sonal Pathak, an endocrinologist, reported successfully treating three chronically depressed women, all on antidepressant medications, with high dose vitamin D. She had previously observed that many of her patients with depression were also deficient in vitamin D, and that when she corrected the deficiency, they “unanimously experienced an improvement in mood and energy.” So she decided to do a small formal study in hopes of winning financing…

. . . and more nutrition in our very special traditionally made olive oilIn this study, volunteers were fed salads with three different types of fat-based dressings made from saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat. Their blood was then tested for absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.Monounsaturated fat-based dressings won hands down at promoting absorption of carotenoids (like beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin) in fruits and vegetables.All of the fat-soluble vitamins -- A, D, E and K, and the carotenoids -- need to be taken with fat in order to be well-absorbed.  You might as well make it a healthy fat AND a delicious fat like our olive oil, high in monounsaturated fat.Although canola oil is also touted for being high in monounsaturates, it is just one more toxic oil and best avoided.Our very special Beyond Health olive oil is grown, harvested and milled with traditional methods that preserve all of olive oil's inherent nutrients (and health be…

Humans may have other species beat when it comes to doing higher mathematics, but where food choices are involved, wild geese proved to be significantly more intelligent.Consider this report from anti-GMO activist Jeffrey Smith’s important book, Seeds of Deception.An Illinois soybean farmer had been plagued by a neighboring flock of soybean-loving geese which habitually made a feast of his fields, reducing plant growth to almost a stubble.Unwittingly, genetic engineering helped him to solve this problem. One year, he planted part of one field with genetically modified soybeans. When the geese arrived for their usual feast, they completely ignored this portion of the field and ate only the conventional soybeans, leaving a distinct pattern of growth that showed where each type of soybean had been planted.This solved the problem of keeping the geese away, but it’s just like the refined flour that no bugs want to eat. What are these animals, who are obviously smarter than we are in certain…

. . . it could double your risk for macular degenerationA European study on nearly 4,700 men and women over 65 found that daily aspirin users more than doubled their risk of late stage, "wet" macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness resulting in loss of independence among older Americans.The macula is a tiny, highly sensitive region in the center of the retina that allows you to see fine details and colors. Without it, you aren't totally blind, but all you see is shapes and movement in shades of black and white. With age, the macula can deteriorate in one of two ways. It can become thin and sprinkled with debris called drusen (the dry form), or blood vessels beneath the retina may push up into the macula and leak blood and fluids (the wet form). The wet form, which is considered the more serious, was the form associated with aspirin use in the above study. (Aspirin is known to cause small hemorrhages under the retina.)Other ris…

. . . shockingly widespread, some estimates say 2 out of 5 lack this vital nutrientWhile nutritional deficiencies are still more common in developing countries, some recent data suggests that it being mostly a third-world problem is simply a cultural myth.According to recent American Journal of Clinical Nutrition data, 6% of the people in the US and the UK are vitamin B12 deficient by age 60. Plus, marginal deficiencies occur in another 20% of those surveyed, with significant deficiencies increasing substantially after age 60.While other studies show vegetarians and vegans are at even higher risk—including babies born to vegetarian mothers—clearly, they’re not the only ones making up these B12 deficiency statistics. Thus, it begs the question…Why are so many of us deficient in vitamin B12?Studies published in numerous medical journals show vitamin B12 is a critical component of brain function. They link deficiency to memory and thinking problems, dementias, and even brain shrinkage. So…

For years, we’ve repeatedly warned that you can no longer get all the required nutrients your body needs from food, and we’re not alone. Researchers from four reputable institutions recently took issue with the latest claims that vitamin supplements are a waste of money.In a commentary published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Tufts University, and the Harvard School of Public Health asserted that while a proper diet is the preferred way to get nutrients required by your cells and necessary for optimal health, it’s no longer possible for most Americans. Current lifestyle and dietary choices create “nutritional gaps” that simply cannot be overcome by food alone.What are these nutritional gaps?Most Americans eat a typical diet of overly processed foods containing white flour, sugar, red meat, dairy, and processed vegetable oils. Yet, you may remember us mention…

. . . many are contaminated and/or rancidMost fish and fish oil today are just too toxic to be beneficial. In addition, many fish oils on the market are rancid (oxidized). Omega 3 fats are extremely perishable, and great care and extra expense are needed to provide a fish oil product free of rancidity.Our seas and oceans are increasingly contaminated, and these contaminants find their way into many fish oil supplements. Several years ago, a report by the American Chemical Society found increasingly high levels of flame retardants, as well as pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in several brands of cod liver oil.It pays to be selective when choosing a fish oil supplement. You can trust Beyond Health to supply clean fish oil supplements. Our Fish Oil Formula is purified of contaminants and handled carefully so as to protect them from rancidity.Also, often overlooked, fish oil can also oxidize after it is ingested. Anyone taking fish oil should also be taking vitamin E to…

. . . a misleading new study from CanadaAmericans keep getting fatter. In the past 15 years adult obesity has approximately doubled in 17 states according to a survey sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Twenty years ago, not one state had an obesity rate of more than 15%. Now, only Colorado, with 19.8% obese, has an obesity rate of less than 20%. In twelve states, the obesity rate is above 30%.As obesity becomes more normal, it's become more socially acceptable and less cause for concern. In the same way that many people consider themselves healthy even though they're taking several different medications, the overweight and even the obese now tend to see themselves as fundamentally healthy. A new study from Canada feeds this misperception.Published last August in Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, this study used a new rating system called the Edmonton Obesity Staging System (EOSS) to categorize the obese. It puts them into five categories according to the prese…

. . . understanding the science puts you in control!Most people attribute food cravings and binges to emotional eating. But although strong emotions can certainly be a factor in uncontrolled or compulsive eating, cravings have a biochemical basis. The more you know about what's happening to your biochemistry when you experience an "uncontrollable" craving, the more freedom you have to get back into the driver's seat. This week, we'll look at the connection between food allergies and food addiction.Is there a particular food you eat just about every day, and, when it comes right down to it, you wouldn't give up without a fight? Sorry, but you're probably addicted to it.You may wake up in the morning with a headache or feeling grouchy "until you've had a good breakfast" of cereal with milk and sugar, or bagel or croissant and coffee, or eggs, toast and orange juice. What are the most common food allergens? Wheat (and especially the gluten in wheat, also found in barley and rye), oats, co…

. . . plus, how skin is your body’s early warning system for recognizing diseaseBy now, you know skin is your body’s largest organ.And as you might expect, its size is a telling indicator of the important role it plays in our overall health. Because skin—all 22 square feet and 8 pounds of it—is made up of a complex system of cell layers, nerves, and glands that protects us, nourishes us, and helps us interact with the outside world.How your skin is a window to your overall healthScientists generally agree that the health of your skin is a reflection of your overall health. In other words, if you look healthy on the outside, you are likely healthy on the inside.In fact, there are many ways your skin provides clues that something is wrong internally. Inflammation, discoloration, swelling, numbness, wrinkles—to name a few—are “early warning signs” that can be used to identify hidden health risks, or the onset of serious disease conditions.Not surprisingly, such indicators of your body’s e…