Saturday, November 26, 2011

A Brief Response to Taubes's Food Reward Critique, and a Little Something Extra

It appears Gary Taubes has completed his series critiquing the food reward hypothesis of obesity (1). I have to hand it to him, it takes some cojones to critique the entire field of food reward research, particularly when you have no scientific background in it, and have evidently not read a single paper on food reward itself. As of 2012, a Google Scholar search for the terms �food reward� and �obesity� turned up 2,790 papers.

The food reward hypothesis of obesity states that the reward and palatability value of food influence body fatness, and excess reward/palatability can promote body fat accumulation. If we want to test the hypothesis, the most direct way is to find experiments in which 1) the nutritional qualities of the experimental diet groups are kept the same or at least very similar, 2) some aspect of diet reward/palatability differs, and 3) changes in body fat/weight are measured (for example, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). In these experiments the hypothesis has both arms and one leg tied behind its back, because the most potent reward factors (energy density, sugar, fat) have nutritional value and therefore experiments that modify these cannot be tightly controlled for nutritional differences. Yet even with this severe disadvantage, the hypothesis is consistently supported by the scientific evidence. Taubes repeatedly stated in his series that controlled studies like these have not been conducted, apparently basing this belief on a 22-year-old review paper by Dr. Israel Ramirez and colleagues that does not contain the word 'reward' (10).

Another way to test the hypothesis is to see if people with higher food reward sensitivity (due to genetics or other factors) tend to gain more fat over time (for example, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16). In addition, studies that have examined the effect of palatability/reward on food intake in a controlled manner are relevant (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22), as are studies that have identified some of the mechanisms by which these effects occur (reviewed in 23). Even if not all of the studies are perfect, at some point, one has to acknowledge that there are a lot of mutually buttressing lines of evidence here. It is notable that virtually none of these studies appeared in Taubes's posts, and he appeared largely unaware of them.
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Sunday, November 20, 2011

Two Recent Papers by Matt Metzgar

This is just a quick post to highlight two recent papers by the economist and fellow health writer Matt Metzgar.

The first paper is titled "The Feasibility of a Paleolithic Diet for Low-income Consumers", and is co-authored by Dr. Todd C. Rideout, Maelan Fontes-Villalba, and Dr. Remko S. Kuipers (1).  They found that a Paleolithic-type diet that meets all micronutrient requirements except calcium (which probably has an unnecessarily high RDA) costs slightly more money than a non-Paleolithic diet that fulfills the same requirements, but both are possible on a tight budget. 

The second paper is titled "Externalities From Grain Consumption: a Survey", with Matt Metzgar as the sole author (2).  He reviews certain positive and negative externalities due to the effects of grain consumption on health.  The take-home message is that refined grains are unhealthy and therefore costly to society, whole grains are better, but grains in general have certain healthcare-related economic costs that are difficult to deny, such as celiac disease.

There are a lot of ideas floating around on the blogosphere, some good and others questionable.  Composing a manuscript and submitting it to a reputable scientific journal is a good way to demonstrate that your idea holds water, and it's also a good way to communicate it to the scientific community.  The peer review process isn't perfect but it does encourage scientific rigor.  I think Metzgar is a good example of someone who has successfully put his ideas through this process.  Pedro Bastos, who also spoke at the Ancestral Health Symposium, is another example (3).

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Symptoms and Treatment of Ulcer Disease


Symptoms of ulcer disease can be very general and not too specific so that sometimes can be rather difficult to distinguish symptoms of other diseases. However, usually, the good doctor and experienced enough, can easily diagnose and get a complete picture of the condition of the symptoms of ulcer disease patients who appear and be seen.

Ulcer Disease Symptoms It is very difficult to live the days you normally if you have gajala ulcer disease. The faster an ulcer patients get proper care, will be the better quality of life that she got. One of the symptoms of ulcer disease is most commonly felt by people with ulcer disease is a discomfort in the abdomen. And unfortunately, the discomfort can continue and even become worse after the patient is eating. 



However, symptoms of ulcer disease in the form of discomfort in the abdomen can also mean other things that had nothing to do with ulcer disease. Your potbellied also often experience discomfort in your stomach which usually disappear or subside after you hit it gently or do a light massage on the abdomen. This condition is important to distinguish the symptoms of ulcer disease which we discuss in this article.

Other symptoms of ulcer disease is severe pain or discomfort in the abdomen, between the lower ribs and the navel, which sometimes gets worse after eating or sometimes even improved after the patient is eating. Some foods shown to cause ulcer disease situation became much worse, while other foods can help to relieve pain. Food with high acid content is much more likely to cause discomfort and pain that is very disturbing. While eggs and dairy products are usually more advisable for patients with ulcer disease because it can more easily digested human digestive system.


For most people, symptoms of ulcer disease is one of the worst and most annoying is nausea, which is often accompanied by vomiting. This can be one of the symptoms of ulcer disease is the most difficult to deal with. None of us like to experience feelings of nausea and want to vomit. These are symptoms of ulcer disease which makes the ulcer disease sufferers find it extremely difficult to live day-to-day activities are normal.Symptoms of ulcer disease that resulted in your vomit-mundah, a warning sign that the ANAD ulcer disease suffered quite serious and should soon get the right treatment. If you are vomiting continuously for some time, you will experience a shortage of liquid that will take you to a medical condition that is more at risk for other diseases because the immune system of diminishing.


For most people, one of the symptoms of ulcer disease is the most common is your stomach feels full and bloated. These symptoms of ulcer disease is really happening and not just your emotions. Literally, your stomach will bulge, and can make you feel discomfort while wearing regular clothes that you wear everyday. You also akna feel uncomfortable when I had to sit so that it will hamper your activities.All the symptoms of ulcer disease that I described above will cause a drastic decrease in appetite as most ulcer patients ate only complains fear will make things worse. Research shows, people who suffer from symptoms of ulcer disease tend to avoid foods kareana fear of having attacks of ulcer disease or worsening of symptoms experienced ulcer disease.


Symptoms of the most serious ulcer disease and ulcer disease is a sign that you have very serious is vomiting blood. That is an indication of the presence of blood in your digestive system and it's a very dangerous medical condition and no longer be taken lightly. In contrast, symptoms of ulcer disease is most often experienced indigestion simple as heartburn. Most people take them for granted and do not take seriously this mild symptoms of ulcer disease. Usually they are experiencing will buy the drug store that sold freely on the market are generally managed relieve symptoms. Unfortunately, this will not make you free from ulcer disease itself. This is only possible to continue to develop ulcer disease become worse over time until eventually your body can no longer afford and symptoms of ulcer disease appears far more serious.


In conclusion, it is very bad to think little of ulcer disease symptoms you're experiencing, it's as light as any. Realize what is happening with your body because your body actually we always give a sign of a lack beresan with our health with the symptoms appear even though initially only mild impairment. To live free from ulcer disease is very annoying, we can easily realize by understanding the symptoms of ulcer disease.

Monday, November 14, 2011

How to Make Yellow Teeth White Being


Tips on How to Whiten Teeth Naturally With Yellow Quick - the teeth are part of us something that is hard to care for the health, especially for smokers and coffee drinkers, clean white teeth is a dream of everyone, many people have problems with teeth that are yellow, how to cope with yellow teeth white can clean and attractive, it is that I will discuss today.


Ways to make a clean white teeth and traditionally is actually very easy, provided you want to do a bit of therapy in your diet, please read the food should be avoided to overcome the traditional yellow teeth below:




1. Wood charcoal
Actually, wood charcoal is also very powerful way to clean the yellow stains on teeth, but this material is dangerous because it can permanently damage the email and cause pain in the teeth. Therefore, you should not try it.

2. Lemon and Salt
You can get bright white teeth by using a paste made from a few drops of lemon juice mixed with a pinch of salt. Apply the paste to the tooth and rub gently like when you're brushing your teeth. This will help remove rust stains on the tooth surface.

3.Orange Peel
Brush your teeth using the inside of orange peel. Orange peel contains whitening elements that are very soft, which will help remove rust stains on teeth without harming enamel.

4. Indonesian bay-leaf (Syzygium polyanthum)
Take six bay leaves, and then drying in the sun until dry and crisp. Puree the sixth bay leaves, then add the orange peel powder. Rub the mixture onto your teeth every day, then certainly within two weeks you will get white teeth naturally.

5. Strawberry
Strawberries are not just a delicious fruit to be enjoyed. Beside rich in vitamin C, strawberries are also known to have properties to clean the teeth. Though sweet, strawberries are not harmful to dental health. Instead, this fruit can actually help remove rust stains on your teeth and make it a brilliant white.

6. White and Apple Cider Vinegar
Cider and white vinegar are also very effective at removing rust stains on the teeth, because both contain elements of bleach helps remove stains quickly. However, both these materials are very strong in character, so use on a daily basis will cause damage to the enamel layer. In addition, it was also very bitter.

Natural Ways to Treat the Flu


Often exposed to the flu because of erratic weather do not make you easy drinking medicinal chemistry. Complete with a natural remedy that is easy to make and safer, such as the following ingredients:

1. Salt Water
Salt can be a cure when exposed to the flu because of the weather.
Dehydration effect of salt can remove excess fluid that makes the throat swelling as well as deadly germs.

When you feel uncomfortable or phlegm throat, make a solution of salt with warm water and gargle three times a day. 
It was indeed not too bad, but the effect is fast and very helpful to treat flu symptoms.




2. EvaporationColds usually occurs during cold weather. Because it can help the respiratory evaporative air cooler out of the body.

Create your steam mixture to taste. Simply boil mint, or rosemary, and inhale the steam immediately. Another way you can steam bath which also helps relieve headaches and chest tightness. For instant way, sucking mints can temporarily relieve your runny nose.

3. Water CayenneCayenne is a kind of spice that tastes spicy and sharp. Usefulness increases blood flow so that the blood cells needed to fight infection can be channeled more quickly.

Because when you feel cold, immediately drink a solution of warm water mixed with cayenne. In an instant cure a sore throat is severe and increases the body's immune system.

4. Raw GarlicGarlic is rich in antioxidants that support the immune system. So that consume raw garlic can boost immunity.

Once you sneeze, immediately consumption of raw garlic that has been sliced ??thin with fresh biscuits. Your breath smells a little sharp, but your body will improve.

5. Natural Cough SyrupJust three natural ingredients to combat coughs, lemon juice as a source of vitamin C and anti-bacterial, honey as a stamina-enhancing combat fatigue, and warm water. Combine all three and the consumption of a teaspoon as often as possible until the cough subsides.

6. Mixed AlcoholAlcohol in the proper dose helps you to rest. Mix with honey to help you fight the feeling stiff and sweat that makes the fever.

Combine a little whiskey, rum, or brandy with a teaspoon of honey, three teaspoons of lemon juice, and your favorite tea (chamomile, mint tea)

7. Chicken soupParents old recipe proved to be correct. Chicken soup can reduce inflammation and accelerate the course of mucus.

For best results, make your own chicken soup consisting of chicken stew, carrots, onion, and celery. Boil a minimum of 12 hours. The longer the boil, the more the goodness of protein chicken off the bone.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Jengkol benefits for health

If you are a fan of traditional food, surely you know the object that is round flat, thin brown skin, odorless and consumed a lot of people. The object is Jengkol. Jengkol or Jering or Pithecollobium Jiringa or Pithecollobium Labatum is typical of plants in the Southeast Asia region, including those popular in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, especially in West Java who consumed 100 tons a day.

Jengkol plants a tree that can reach 10-26 feet tall. The fruit is a pod-shaped flattened and convoluted. Old fruit color violet. After the old, the fruit pods form a convex and in places that contain seeds increased its size. Each pod can contain 5-7 seeds. Ari seeds thin-skinned and glossy brown.



Jengkol will create a furor when cooking and after processing by the digestion, which is causing the smell that he said no odor. The cause of the smell was actually the amino acids contained in the seeds jengkol. Amino acids were dominated by amino acids containing sulfur element (when degraded or fragmented into smaller components, amino acids that will produce the various components of flavor that is very bad, because the influence of sulfur. One of the gases formed by elements that are H2S gas is known to be very smelly.


Odor generated from jengkol it's actually quite disturbing, especially for others who did not share a meal. If the meal, despite the smell, at least have enjoyed the delights jengkol. But for others who did not share, but just miss the smell, would feel very disturbed. Especially with the release of urine. If this jengkol eaters pee in the toilet and rinse less than perfect, then the toilet will smell bad and disturbing the peace of others.


When digested jengkol will leave a substance called jengkolat acid (jencolid acid) are dumped into the kidneys. This is where the effects are often feared by the people, namely jengkoleun or jengkolan. Jengkolan jengkolat occurs when acids that are difficult to dissolve in water eventually settles in the kidneys, forming solid crystals can result in difficult to dispose of urine. If our blood pH neutral, acid jengkolat safe, but if you tend to be acidic (pH less than 7) jengkolat acid forming insoluble crystals.


Jengkolan risk is not dependent on the amount consumed jengkol, but depending on the vulnerability of a person's body. Susceptible people, eating less jengkol alone can cause jengkolan. What affects a person's susceptibility to acid jengkolat unclear, but presumably due to genetic and environmental factors.


Behind the odor generated jengkol, it contained useful benefits for health. According to various studies have shown that jengkol also rich in carbohydrates, protein, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium, alkaloids, essential oils, steroids, glycosides, tannins, and saponins.


Especially for the content of vitamin C contained 80 mg in 100 grams of seed jengkol, while the figure the recommended dietary allowance is 75 mg per day for adult women and 90 mg for adult men.


In addition, Jengkol a good source of protein, which is 23.3 g per 100 g of material. Protein levels far exceeding the tempeh which is known as a source of vegetable protein, which is only 18.3 g per 100 g. Protein needs of each individual course is different. In addition to helping the growth and maintenance, the protein also functions to build enzymes, hormones, and immunity of the body. Therefore, the protein substance often called the builder.


For iron, Jengkol containing 4.7 g per 100 g. Iron deficiency can cause anemia. The symptoms of people suffering from iron deficiency anemia are fatigue, weakness, pale and less passionate, headaches and irritability, inability to concentrate, and susceptible to infection. Patients with chronic anemia showed shape like a spoon and brittle nails, cracked at the corners of the mouth, tongue, difficulty in swallowing.Adolescents, pregnant women, nursing mothers, adults, and vegetarians are most at risk for iron deficiency. In the body, iron partially located within the red blood cells as heme, a pigment that contains iron core of an atom.


Jengkol also very good for bone health because of the high content of calcium, which is 140 mg / 100 g. The role of calcium in general can be divided into two, namely helping the formation of bones and teeth, and regulate biological processes in the body.The need is greatest calcium during the growth period, but in adulthood is highly recommended adequate intake for maintaining bone health. The recommended calcium intake for adults is 800 mg per day.


The content of phosphorus in jengkol (166.7 mg/100 g) is also very important for the formation of bones and teeth, as well as for energy storage and expenditure. Thus, in fact many of the benefits gained from eating jengkol and this is just an input only, not a doctrine that requires you to believe and follow in order to consume jengkol, but you just know that there are benefits behind this smelly vegetable pods.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Benefits of Hibiscus For Health

Chemical Ingredients 
Leaves, hibiscus flowers and roots contain flavonoids. In addition, the leaves also contain saponins, and polyphenols, polyphenols containing flowers, roots also contain tannins and saponins.
 
Benefits For Health
Hibiscus leaves efficacious as drug fever in children, cough and sprue drugs. To cure a fever in children used � 25 grams of fresh hibiscus leaves, plus 2 tablespoons water, pounded until blended, then smeared on the chest back and neck.

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