Hansies Health Report

Is the appendix actually useful?

Here's a little info that suggests that the appendix might have a place in the world. Many thanks to Dr. Mercola for surfacing this one. Read his comments on the matter and the full article here.

Your appendix is a small dead-end tube connected to a
section of your large intestine. It has long been thought to be a
vestigial remnant of some other organ, but there is little evidence for
an appendix in our evolutionary ancestors. Few mammals have any
appendix at all, and the appendices of those that do bears little
resemblance to the human one.

Some researchers now believe that the appendix is a
“safe house” for commensal bacteria, the symbiotic germs
that aid digestion and help protect against disease-causing germs.

The appendix is isolated from the rest of the gut, with an
opening smaller than a pencil lead. In times of trouble, such as an
infection that flushes the system, these commensal bacteria could hide
out there, ready to repopulate the gut when the danger is past.

Biofilms, colonies of beneficial microbes, form in your
large intestine. They aid digestion and protect against infection,
while enjoying the protection and nutrition of the human host.
Researchers have found biofilms on the epithelial lining of the
appendix as well.

Sources:

• New York Times June 17, 2008

• The Journal of Theoretical Biology December 21, 2007; 249(4):826-31

Fermented Foods Are What You Need

Self-serve olive bars are becoming so popular in many Washington supermarkets that storeowners are now offering expanded "antipasto" bars, heaped high with pickles, pickled peppers, mushrooms, artichokes and other tangy pickled and marinated foods, according to The Seattle Times.

This growing trend in both health/natural and regular commercial supermarkets across the country is theoretically good news for health-conscious consumers looking to increase their digestive, cardiovascular and immune health, since these traditionally lacto-fermented foods are some of the oldest and healthiest on the planet. Yet, the key phrase you absolutely must watch for if you want to achieve the amazing health benefits is traditionally lacto-fermented, as not all of these tasty condiments are created equal.

The Wonderful Health Benefits of Traditionally
Lacto-Fermented Foods

Olives, pickles, grass-fed cheese,
wine, yogurt, sauerkraut and the seasoned, aged sausages the French
call "charcuterie" are some of this category’s most
popular delicacies.

Though the term "fermented" sounds vaguely distasteful,
the results of this ancient preparation and preservation technique
-- produced through the breakdown of carbohydrates and proteins
by microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts and molds -- are actually
delicious. Even more so, they are so beneficial to overall health
that some of these "functional foods" are now considered
to be "probiotics," increasing your overall nutrition,
promoting the growth of friendly intestinal bacteria, and aiding
digestion and supporting immune function, including an increase
in B vitamins (even Vitamin B12), omega-3 fatty acids, digestive
enzymes, lactase and lactic acid, and other immune chemicals that
fight off harmful bacteria and even cancer cells.

More at Mercola.com

Genetically Modified Foods

"When eminent scientist Arpad Pusztai went public about his accidental discovery that genetically modified (GM) potatoes severely damage the immune system and organs of rats, he was suspended from the prestigious Scottish research institute where he had worked for thirty-five years. He was silenced with threats of a lawsuit while the Institute denied or distorted his findings." Read more at: www.wanttoknow.info

"You're already on drugs!"

Lost weight and feel great

Okay so here's the update, quick like a bunny...

I'm weighing in at 174.5 as of this morning which means I have lost about 8 lbs since I started taking the Zylene two weeks ago, if I'm counting correctly.  This is lovely because it means I'm fitting back into those Banana Republic chinos I optimistically purchased a few months back.  I've gone down a size and maybe a half, I would say, judging from the relative looseness of my britches.

And since my blood sugar has come way more under control, I'm eating about half of what I usually do and not minding one bit.  So is Christine, she tells me.

Last weekend Christine and I went to see the movie Kingdom (intense!). She packed a bunch of goodies and I bought some popcorn.  By the end of the movie (and I swear I'm not making this up), I had 3/5's of the popcorn left sitting on the chair next to me and we didn't even reach into the bag to get our favorite Newman's peanut butter cups.  WHAT?!  That would NEVER happen before.  EVER-NEVER!

So I'm loving this stuff.  Will I stay on it forever?  Probably not since I'm not trying to obtain Ghandi levels of weight loss.  But so far the energy levels and the satisfaction of getting this whole area back under a bit of control are making me a happy camper.   Go Zylene!

Hacking Your Body's Bacteria for Better Health -

This makes a lot of sense to me.  When our kids get a flu bug or some other evidence of a bacterial/viral infection, we generally welcome it because it means, if nothing else, that our kids' immune systems are "booting up" and preparing to ward themselves against future infections.  Of course we watch them closely, but we don't tend to rush them into taking antibotics because they act more like Napalm, wiping out the probiotics along with the "bad" bacteria.

A great book along these lines is one we have disseminated for a long time is How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor     by pediatrician Robert S. Mendelsohn, MD.

Link: Hacking Your Body's Bacteria for Better Health.

Modern humans are bacteria-killing machines. We assassinate microbes with hand soap, mouthwash and bathroom cleaners. It feels clean and right.

But some scientists say we're overdoing it. All this killing may actually cause diseases like eczema, irritable bowel syndrome and even diabetes. The answer, they say, is counterintuitive: Feed patients bacteria.

NPR : Researchers Find Bias in Nutrition Studies

This is very interesting and worth noting.  It goes right along with a speech by Michael Crichton about how science as a subject is becoming more and more watered down by political and, if this NPR article is any measure, corporate influence.  Click on link below to listen to the NPR story.

Link: NPR : Researchers Find Bias in Nutrition Studies.

Morning Edition, January 9, 2007 · A new study, co-authored by Harvard researchers and analysts from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, suggests there's a systematic bias in nutrition studies funded by food companies.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | GM potato trials given go-ahead

Link: BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | GM potato trials given go-ahead.

Defra granted permission for BASF Plant Science to grow the vegetables at field sites in Cambridgeshire and Derbyshire.

The crops have been modified to include a gene from a wild species of potato in a bid to make them resistant to blight, a disease costing growers £70m a year.

But the Soil Association said it was "a stupid decision" and warned other crops risked contamination by GM.

"The Drugs I Need"

Life Extension Daily News

Link: Life Extension Daily News.

VITAMIN C is the most popular of vitamins and yet it is often the most misunderstood. Here, we hope to clear the air about this vitamin. So get enlightened about the real benefits and true side of this highly indispensable antioxidant. Here are some facts about Vitamin C: