Fish Oil and Red Yeast Rice Studied for Lowering Blood Cholesterol

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- A great deal of scientific evidence shows that cholesterol-reducing medications known as statins can help prevent coronary artery disease. Although the safety of these medications has been well documented, as many as 40 percent of patients who receive a prescription for statins take the drug for less than one year. Doctors believe that several factors-- including cost, adverse effects, poor understanding of statin benefits and patients' reluctance to take prescription medications long term -- may explain why some patients stop taking these medicines. In the July issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, a group of researchers from Pennsylvania examine whether an alternative approach to treating high blood cholesterol may provide an effective treatment option for patients who are unable or unwilling to take statins.

Study design

Researchers followed 74 patients with high blood cholesterol who met standard criteria for using statin therapy. Patients were randomly assigned to either the alternative treatment group or the statin group and followed for three months.

The alternative treatment group participants received daily fish oil and red yeast rice supplements, and they were enrolled in a 12-week multidisciplinary lifestyle program that involved weekly 3.5-hour educational meetings led by a cardiologist, dietitian, exercise physiologist and several alternative or relaxation practitioners. Red yeast rice is the product of yeast grown on rice. A dietary staple in some Asian countries, it contains several compounds known to inhibit cholesterol production.

The statin group participants received 40 milligrams (mg) of Zocor (simvastatin) daily, as well as printed materials about diet and exercise recommendations. At the end of the three-month period, participants from both groups underwent blood cholesterol testing to determine the percentage change in LDL cholesterol.

Results

The researchers noted that there was a reduction in LDL cholesterol levels in both groups. The alternative treatment group experienced a 42.4 percent reduction, and the statin group experienced a 39.6 percent reduction. Members of the alternative therapy group also had a substantial reduction in triglycerides, another form of fat found in the blood, and lost more weight.

"Our study was designed to test a comprehensive and holistic approach to lipid lowering," notes the study's lead author, David Becker, M.D., a Chestnut Hill Hospital and University of Pennsylvania Health System cardiologist. "These results are intriguing and show a potential benefit of an alternative, or naturopathic, approach to a common medical condition."

Dr. Becker acknowledges that a larger, multicenter trial with longer follow-up is necessary to determine long-term compliance with the alternative regimen, because previous studies involving diet and exercise have found a high rate of patients unable or unwilling to follow lifestyle recommendations.

"The excellent adherence in the alternative group was undoubtedly related to the intensive follow-up, education and support provided for this group," says Dr. Becker.

Other authors of this article include: Ram Gordon, M.D., Patti Morris, and Jacqueline Yorko, M.Ed., from Chestnut Hill Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania Health System; Y. Jerold Gordon, M.D., from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Mingyao Li, Ph.D., from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; and Nayyar Iqbal, M.D., from the Philadelphia VA Medical Center/University of Pennsylvania.

Further Reading:

Red Yeast Rice: Not Your Best Bet For A Natural Statin Alternative

Book Review:  Cholesterol Down

Why Americans Should Eat Soy

Being a dancer and a fitness professional, I’ve been extremely lucky that I have not had to worry about my weight. That was until I entered motherhood with two children back to back and tipping the scales with a 55lb weight gain. I had the misconception like most people that baby weight just melted off with child birth and breast feeding, boy was I wrong. I felt like I was stuck in someone else’s body and I couldn’t get out, I’m sure most of you can relate to this.

I remember getting changed after teaching a class in my Pilates studio, there were mirrors surrounding me in this small toilet cubical with horrible fluorescent lights, you know those ones we all avoid like the plague.  I happened to glance up at the mirror and got a snapshot of my legs and butt, not a pretty sight. Did they really belong to me?

This was definitely the turning point for me, I decided it’s time to take time for myself and find my identity again. Some of us call it vanity, I call it sanity!!!

As busy women we’re often on cruise control - we just keep on going and going until we drop. Completely forgetting our sensuality and our personal needs. 

My mission as a fitness expert is to guide and motivate you to find time to put yourself first just a few hours a week, I know exercise is the last thing on your mind, or is it sex? I know it’s a close tie after hard day with the kids but remember exercise will give you energy and bring your confidence back. If your mind and body feels good your whole out look on life will completely change. Think of it as an investment for your children’s future and marriage, your family needs you to be happy, healthy and sexy, it’s now time to take control and connect to the HOT Mama inside of you.

On that note I wanted to share with you some hot tips to work that midsection anywhere and everywhere. You’ve probably read in magazines and news papers talking about the CORE. Most of us haven’t got a clue what this means, it’s such the buzz word right now in the media. Let me go ahead and shine some light. The Core is associated with those muscles that primarily support your spine, stabilize the pelvis, and aid in correct posture.

The transverse abdominals does all of this and is the deepest of all the abdominal muscles; it acts like a corset around your midsection. Out of all the abdominal muscles it’s probably the most neglected muscle and essentially the most important. Awareness and knowledge is the missing link to strong sexy abs we all strive for especially after pregnancy.

The beauty of activating this muscle is that you can do this sitting down, driving the car, basically everywhere. No movement needs to take place to activate this muscle, it’s almost like feeling a belt tighten around you midsection. In order to truly activate the transverse abdominals we need to essentially breathe and make a mind body connection to those often dormant muscles.

So let’s try inhaling through the nose first, feel your rib cage expand to the side as your lungs fill with air. Now as you exhale draw the ribcage together and pull the abdominals towards the spine. Think of pulling in your tummy or scooping out the belly without squeezing your glutes, thighs and hip flexors. Simultaneously lift your pelvic floor up, just like those kegal exercises you were supposed to do ALL the time during and after pregnancy. Can you feel your abdominals contract?

Now try to add this breath to a traditional crunch, exhaling on the way up without moving the hips, you will be amazed how much deeper you feel your abs working. Don’t worry if your abs start shaking, they’re working!

Making a mental connection to the core and adding breath to your strength training routine will also add a new spin to your workout and translate in to more functional strength. Carrying your 35lb toddler around Disney land will be a breeze, I can truly say that from experience.

Once you build the neuromuscular connection try balancing on one leg and performing some bicep curls with free weights or single leg squats. The unstable surface forces your core muscles to fire helping to stabilize your spine and basically stopping you from falling over. Working the body as a whole not just as an isolated body part forces the core to work harder, remember if your center is strong the rest of the body will follow. Some of the best exercises are basic calisthenics like push-ups and lunges using your own weight for resistance, most of my DVD’s I have created take all this in to consideration. Pilates is also a fabulous workout for the core, personally I thank Pilates for getting my abs back in shape after pregnancy, there’s nothing like Pilates for the midsection.

Most of us have no connection to the core; it’s almost as if it’s on a permanent vacation However by doing these small breathing exercises and engaging the right abdominal muscles you will develop the perfect foundation to a strong CORE.

So let’s take the time, to connect to the abdominals and make a conscious effort to pull in the abs and activate the core in our daily chores. The results are definitely worth it, improved balance, athletic performance - running at the park with the kids, posture - correcting humpback from breast feeding, decreased back pain from holding two kids on your hip all day long, and a stronger pelvic floor which can only help your sex life.

So what are you waiting for? Try these exercises everyday and you’ll be on the road to an improved midsection and better sex -- now that’s an incentive!

Tracey Mallett's Interval Training Drops The Weight!

Further Reading In Fitness and Weight Loss

Gary Ginsberg, Ph.D. is a toxicologist who teaches at Yale and the University of Connecticut Medical Schools. He has served on several National Academy of Sciences panels and has testified before Congress on toxics issues. He recently co-authored What's Toxic, What’s Not (Berkley Books, 2006), a layman’s guide to chemical hazards around the home. He can be reached through his website www.whatstoxic.com. Dr. Ginsberg can also be heard live every Saturday from 4-6 PM on “Greener Living with Dr. G” on WTIC AM-1080.

Gary Ginsberg--

When babies are born, they naturally take center stage with their charm, innocence and of course needs. That’s usually a good thing. What’s not so good is when babies take center stage because a toxic chemical is in their food and governments disagree on what this means. North of the border, Health Canada has newly proclaimed that the estrogenic agent, bis-phenol A (BPA), shall no longer taint infant formula. It leaches out of the lining of tin cans and polycarbonate plastic baby bottles. Canada says that BPA may have effects at very low levels of exposure, especially in infants who are the most vulnerable. Therefore, they are banning BPA from these baby items. South of the border, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is not convinced that BPA is so potent and so is taking a wait and see approach. Which government is right? Why should babies in one country be protected while not in another? That’s the question lots of parents are asking.

As a toxicologist, my main question is whether there is a real risk. One can cite dozens of studies showing that BPA has exquisitely sensitive, long-term, possibly irreversible effects on how the brain, breast and prostate develop. One can also cite dozens of studies which don’t show these effects. They typically studied the question a little differently, using more standard protocols that probe the basic questions, but may miss the subtle or emerging indicators of hormone disruption. FDA has chosen to rely on two of the conventional studies. Health Canada is relying not on a few specific studies, but is giving weight to all the relevant data whether standard or not.

This latter approach makes the most sense. Given how little we know about the causes of endocrine disorders and their high rates in the general population, it seems prudent to pay attention to the red flags wherever they pop up. That’s as long as the evidence is credible, repeatable, and makes sense. So, is BPA in infant formula a real risk? Well it's certainly not squeaky clean. When it comes to the next generation, shouldn’t we be better gatekeepers?

No one is surprised that BPA has estrogenic, “feminizing” effects. After all, it was developed in the 1930s as an estrogen substitute for women going into menopause or who were otherwise estrogen deficient. It never was used as a drug because a more powerful synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol (DES) came on its heels and took over the market. DES backfired on the thousands of women who took it causing cancer and reproductive problems in the sons and daughters of DES women. Fortunately, BPA is not nearly as potent as DES, but it is in the same endocrine disruptor class and so should be treated with caution. That’s not how BPA has been treated up until now, as nearly everyone has a body burden due to daily exposure, and this includes newborn babies.

Lost in all this is the reality that most people’s exposure to BPA is dominated by what they eat from tin cans. The BPA story has motivated Walmart and Nalgene to go BPA-free with their water bottles. However, water bottles are minor compared to food cans which deliver BPA into everything from soup to nuts. What makes this important is the fact that BPA passes into breast milk and so the nursing infant gets BPA from mom’s diet. The good news is that mom can clear BPA relatively quickly, so switching to a low BPA diet will safeguard the nursing infant.

While the scientific debate rages on, it is prudent to minimize exposure to BPA. I recommend the following steps to move in this direction:

1) Infant formula: use powdered formula rather than the canned liquid and reconstitute it in BPA-free baby bottles. These are now widely available.

2) Canned beans: choose Eden Organics as they are the only supplier using a non-BPA can liner.

3) Canned soup: substitute dry soup mixes or frozen soup, selecting low sodium products whenever possible.

4) Canned tomato products: look for products sold in glass jars as the lining in cans doesn’t hold up well to the acidity of tomatoes.

5) Canned tuna: choose products packed in water, not oil and don’t eat canned tuna more than twice per week due to mercury and BPA.

6) Speak up: contact your canned food company to see if they have plans to switch over to BPA-free cans. If not let them know that Eden Organics has this one figured out, so what is their excuse.

7) Eat fresher foods instead of canned whenever possible. Frozen foods are often a good alternative to canned foods as well.

Tainted Tomatoes: How To Stay Safe

Ban Eight Artificial Food Dyes--Michael Jacobson

Question: I’ve had two heart attacks in four years. I am short of breath and tired; my doctors say I have congestive heart failure and severe blockages in the arteries that go to my heart. Are there natural heart remedies that really work at this stage of the game? I want to make it to my daughter’s wedding in November. – S.P., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Answer: Yes, there are wonderful heart nutrients that I’ve seen work miracles in people who were literally sent home to die. Before we get to those, go to your kitchen and clean out the cabinets. Get rid of any foods and pastries that contain “trans fats” or the word “hydrogenated” on the label. That’s the stuff that clogs up your arteries and prevents blood from flowing to your heart (and brain).

If you want to loosen the gunk from your arteries, you’ll have to get used to the taste of tea, like green tea or red tea (Rooibos). Drink a cup daily so the natural ingredients can strip clean your arteries, and get rid of fatty deposits that are blocking blood flow. These teas also help preserve your vision and kidney function.

Hawthorne berry : It comes from plants. You can take supplements and fluid extracts or drink hawthorne tea. I love hawthorne—just don’t over do it. Hawthorne is more effective with time, not in large doses. It relaxes and widens your arteries so blood flows to and from your heart, improving circulation. This makes hawthorne essential for people with swollen ankles or cold hands and feet. Many well-designed clinical trials conclude that hawthorne is beneficial for people with congestive heart failure.

Arginine: Another powerful and inexpensive cardiac tonic –it’s actually an amino acid that increases blood flow to the heart, and all over. That’s why you find it in sex enhancement pills. Arginine unclogs arteries, increasing cardiac blood flow and making your arteries more elastic. Arginine relieves that feeling of being winded.

Coenzyme Q10: This antioxidant powers every heart beat and gives your cells some oxygen. It helps your heart beat in perfect rhythm.

Fish Oils or Cod Liver Oil: These provide essential fatty acids which help regulate cholesterol and blood pressure. Studies show that these supplements may prevent the gunk from building up and sticking to your arteries in the first place.

D- Ribose: A natural, simple sugar that you need to make energy. Ribose improves the pumping action of your heart and a study showed that it helped improve heart function in patients undergoing open heart surgery. Plus, it gives you more energy.

Magnesium: Reduces blood pressure and acts like a drug, I mean like ‘calcium channel blocker’ drugs. It balances out minerals and keeps your heart from going into a spasm.

Readers:

A study came out last week in The Journal of the American Heart Association and it proves what I’ve been telling you for years: Cholesterol that goes down too low can cause memory loss and dementia.

(This information is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Suzy Cohen is the author of “The 24-Hour Pharmacist.” For more information, visit www.DearPharmacist.com)

© 2008 Suzy Cohen, RPh.                              

Mediterranean Diet Is Rich In Antioxidants And Low In Harmful Fats

The Extreme Benefits of Tea

A Life Saving Mineral--Magnesium

 Certified nutritionist and New York Times best-selling author Brenda Watson is among today’s leading authorities on natural digestive care, optimum nutrition, and internal cleansing and detoxification. A PBS mainstay and national media presence, Brenda is dedicated to helping people everywhere achieve vibrant, lasting health. The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps is her most recently published book.

Summertime brings plenty of fresh fruits and veggies to the table, but what’s the best way to keep you and your family safe from harmful bacteria, chemicals and other health hazards often hiding atop raw produce? You may think that choosing organic is the answer, but many people don’t realize that all produce—regardless of whether it’s grown organically or commercially—may still contain harmful contaminants that can lead to food-borne illness.

Despite their many health benefits, raw fruits and vegetables are more likely to harbor harmful pathogens that otherwise would have been destroyed during cooking. Bacteria such as E. coli, listeria and salmonella may be encountered during cultivation (via soil and water), but also during transportation and storage. It helps to remember that before it reaches your plate, an average of five to 10 strangers have handled your fresh produce, so be sure to follow these quick tips for a healthier summer harvest.

Opt for Local and Seasonal.
If possible, select those fruits and vegetables that are grown locally and in season. Shorter transport routes and storage durations often mean fewer pesticides and herbicides were used during cultivation.

Practice Smart Shopping.
Don’t overdo it when shopping for fresh produce. Instead, buy only what you’re sure to use within a few days to avoid spoiling.

Keep Produce Cool as a Cucumber.
The FDA recommends that certain perishable fruits such as berries, lettuce, herbs and mushrooms can be best maintained by storing in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40° or below.

Be Prepared.
Before handling fresh produce, wash your hands—as well as all utensils and cutting surfaces—with warm, soapy water. Avoid cross-contamination with raw meat during grocery bagging, food storage and preparation.

Wash Thoroughly.
Both the FDA and the USDA recommend washing all fruits and vegetables thoroughly in cold, drinkable water before eating (purified water ensures the absence of any harmful pollutants that may be present in tap water). When washing lettuce, cabbage and other leafy greens, always remove the outer leaves first, and rinse berries and other more fragile fruits in a colander. Even produce with outer rinds or peels (e.g., oranges, watermelon) need to be washed well, as contaminants on the outer skin may be transferred to the edible parts during peeling or cutting. Root vegetables and others with thicker skin may be washed with a vegetable brush to remove potential bacteria.

Because of the overwhelming increase in toxic chemicals in our modern environment, taking steps to avoid contamination is essential to keeping you and those you love healthy and out of harm’s way. By keeping this quick checklist on hand throughout the season, you’ll be able to enjoy all the freshly picked goodness of summer without having to worry about what else might be lurking on your plate.

A Healthier Diet, A Healthier You

Are Toxins Taking A Toll On Your Health?

Consumers can improve their household food safety by paying more attention to their refrigerators, according to a panel of experts who addressed home-based food safety issues Monday.

The session, "Consumers' Refrigerators: A Danger Zone," was part of the Institute of Food Technologists' Annual Meeting and Food Expo in New Orleans.
 
The researchers said that only 20 percent of consumers use refrigerator thermometers, and only 30 percent are even aware that they should have them in their refrigerators. However, not keeping food refrigerated at 40 degrees Fahrenheit can spoil food and increase bacteria.

"Unexpectedly, as education and income increases, risky food-handling practices increase as well," said Sheryl C. Cates, a researcher at RTI International. Panelists speculated that busier lifestyles lead to careless practices.

Cates served as organizer and co-moderator for the session, which brought together four scientists to discuss safety and consumer habits regarding their refrigerators.

"You don’t have to go to a restaurant or to a party to get sick," said Fur-Chin Chen, Ph.D., a microbiologist at Tennessee State University. In a recent study, he found a variety of pathogens in a quarter of the refrigerators he inspected. Vegetable bins were the most contaminated.

Sandria Godwin, Ph.D., R.D. with Tennessee State University, suggested consumers clean out their refrigerator, inside and out, once a week with dish soap, and replace their refrigerator every 10 years. One study showed that about half of consumers clean their refrigerators once a month, but because consumers fail to clean thoroughly, scientists say that figure is likely exaggerated.

The 68th annual meeting included 15,000 food scientists and others in the food technology industry who shared research concerning food habits, obstacles of mainstreaming organic foods, screening of nanotechnology, and industry-based innovations such as finding more ways to bring ready-to-eat foods to grocery stores.

Source:  RTI International News Release          

Read Jeff May's Healthy Home Tips

Ban Eight Artificial Food Dyes--Michael F. Jacobson

Tainted Tomatoes:  How To Stay Safe

Should The Big Mac Be Taxed?

Seven years ago, author Janice Taylor, permanently removed over 50 pounds of excess weight. She utilized weight loss as a vehicle for reinvention and transformation. Taylor has been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, New York Times, New York Post, New York Daily News, Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun Times, Fitness magazine, Health magazine, CNN.com, Religion and Spirituality, has appeared on View from the Bay, San Francisco, Discovery Health, Naomi’s New Morning, Hallmark Channel, FitTV.

Janice is a Life & Wellness Coach, Certified Hypnotist, Neurolinguistic Practitioner, as well as the author of All Is Forgiven, Move On: Our Lady of Weight Loss’s 101 Fat-burning Steps on Your Journey to Sveltesville (May 2008) and Our Lady of Weight Loss: Miraculous and Motivational Musings from the Patron Saint of Permanent Fat Removal (Fall 2006.) Janice is also the creator of the very popular e-newsletter Kick in the Tush Club, and a syndicated blogger for Beliefnet.

Taylor leads workshops at a number of wellness centers across America, including Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, New York, The Crossings, Austin, Texas and Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, The Berkshires, Massachusetts.

Taylor is a member of the International Coach Federation, Association for Integrative Psychology, CIVA (Christians In the Visual Arts). She has studied at New York Society of Ericksonian Psychotherapy and Hypnosis, American Pacific University, NLP Center of New York and New York University. She is also a co-founder of artHARLEM, a grassroots Harlem, New York art organization.

When author Janice Taylor tells her story--"I quit my secure job of 17 years to become our country's premiere Weight Loss Artist Story," inevitably people want to know: 'Had she lost her mind? Was she filled with fear or was she fearless? How does one leave security and money and jump into their dream, head first, no water in the pool, and not be overcome, frozen, paralyzed and swallowed up by fear?'

Truth be told, there's no way around fear ... you can only move through it!
Here follows a brief synopsis of Janice's story, in honor of her five year anniversary of diving into fear, head first ... OUCH!

Janice Taylor--

Five years ago, almost to the day, after permanently removing over 50 pounds both internally and externally, I walked into my boss's office and said, "I can't do this any longer. I'll be leaving now." Just like that - I QUIT. (And permanently removed an additional 175 pounds ... HIM!)

"What will you do?" he asked.
"Become our country's first weight loss artist and write a book." I answered
"What?  Huh?  That's crazy." etc. etc. etc.

Nevertheless, in the face of a fully loaded platter of fear, anxiety, and the unknown, I went for it. And when fear did rise to the surface and - oh boy - did it! - (no job, no money coming in, no real knowledge of how to write a book, no agent, no publisher), I used my 'fear' meditation/visualization to catapult me from stuck to action!

Every afternoon I had a meltdown. So, I gave myself 20 minutes of hiding under the covers (literally), and then I dusted myself off and practiced my 'fear' meditation/visualization. And THEN - feeling refreshed and more confident, I went back to working on writing my first book (Our Lady of Weight Loss) and recreating my life. I'd like to share this visualization with you now.

Fear: One of the Winning Ingredients for Transformation.

Imagine gathering all your fear ... pulling it from the front ... bits and pieces of charred glass, loose strings, thin wire, static lines - to the left - loose ends and remnants of the past - and to the right - concern, unease and the angst of the future. A quick sweep around - full circle - in all directions - gather any debris, any floating particles that may have gotten past you.

And taking all these bits, pieces and elements of fear and the energy - the adrenaline - that comes with them - and now filled with great determination - your hands purposefully pack these fragments together - clearing the air, while you amass a small, very hard ball - like a baseball - with its hard smooth cover and red stitches.

Rub your hands over the ball; toss it from your left hand to your right hand - feel its sting as it hits one palm and then the other - consider its power. Toss the ball up and down into the air, up and down - Now handling your fear, like a hall-of-famer, you grab hold of a pen and sign the ball. Your signature with its hidden message - making this ball that much more effective and valuable.

And with ball in one hand and bat in the other, you stand erect, and as you toss the ball into the air, you feel a cool breeze caress your face - and the breeze connects you to your intention - and then with great confidence, resolve and tremendous want-power, you now slam into the ball that holds all that has ever or will ever get in your way. You hear the crack of the bat and watch the ball as it flies over the fence and into the clouds - writing the hidden message in the wind - sailing out of sight - a grand slam homerun.

And for the first time, you realize that you are not alone. The stadium is filled to capacity and your team as well as the opposing team is present - all cheering for you, as you easily and effortlessly run the bases. Touching first base - your heart begins to sing... as you turn the corner and run past second base - you hear the roar of the crowd; third base - you take your baseball cap off and wave to the crowd, and when you reach home plate, you toss your cap high up into the air and as it returns to your hand, you take in a deep breath, filling your lungs with the sweet smell of fresh air. You are safe.

And now filled with great energy and a sense of purpose and resolve, you return to the tasks at hand that will catapult you and your dreams over the fence, through the clouds, and into another stratosphere.

Feel free to hold onto this, read it ,change the words to fit your vision of how to gather up your fear and move on.

Thank you for sharing my 5 Year Anniversary of Fear.

Spread the word (NOT the icing!)

It's About Your Life, Not Your Fat

A Food Lover's Weight Loss Story

The Common Denominator Of All Eating Disorders Is Fear

First seen at BeliefNet

Dubbed “An Apostle for Fitness” in her profile in the Wall Street Journal, Carole has been a featured guest on more than sixty radio and television shows, including NBC’s Today show, CBS’s Early Show, MSNBC’s Countdown, and CNN News. Carole has been featured in magazines such as American Fitness, Diet & Exercise Magazine, and Today’s Health & Wellness, as well as in newspapers such as the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Tampa Tribune, Sacramento Bee, Baltimore Sun and the Los Angeles Times. Carole’s book, From Fat to Fit, was named a finalist in the health and fitness category of the National Best Books 2007 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

Besides teaching and consulting, Carole has produced a weekly community television show, The Tipping Point and a reality show, Go Fat to Fit. This, fall Carole will serve as mentor to the national AARP Fat to Fit Community Challenge, a new virtual community devoted to fitness and healthy weight loss.

Carole Carson--

Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food. Hippocrates

Is Cocoa the New Red Wine?

As researchers discover the medicinal benefits of different foods, we can expect to be bombarded with advice on what to eat to treat or prevent specific medical conditions. As long as it’s a food I like (and I can count the foods I dislike on one hand), I’ll happily eat my way through the entire medicine chest.

And what could be more satisfying than a cup of cocoa? A study in the June 3, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reported that cocoa was used to prevent cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients. During the month that the diabetic patients drank a high-flavanol cocoa, their blood vessel function improved dramatically . The classification of their blood vessels went from severely impaired to normal.

A month isn’t a very long test period, is it? Amazingly enough, drinking three cups of cocoa a day for 30 days produced results comparable to or better than those achieved with exercise or medications or both.

And there’s more good news. In a study of elderly Dutch men reported in the February 27, 2006 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers concluded that drinking cocoa lowered the participants’ blood pressure and risk of death. In addition, scientists in Spain report their successful efforts at creating a version of cocoa with enhanced heart-boosting medicinal value. They have yet to report their marketing plans.

Flavanol, the medicinal ingredient in cocoa, is also found in red wine and certain fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately for those of us not participating in the research, the flavanol-enhanced cocoa is not yet available to the public. But you can guess it will be.

In the meantime, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate with a clear conscience. But you might want to skip the whipped cream topping!

Wanted: A Fitness Protection Program For The United States

When UFOs Land in the Backyard of Your Life

The Research Behind The Benefits of Eating Chocolate

Live Longer And Thinner On A Plant - Based Diet

Author Matt Emerzian is part of the creative force behind 40 Days of Love and the Every Monday Matters Foundation.  The Every Monday Matters vision has created a collective action of ordinary people--a national movement--making a difference that benefits society.  Matt wishes to set an example for future generations to follow--leaving a legacy of social awareness and consciousness of giving back because people do matter.  Written with co-author Kelly Bozza, Matt oversees that a portion of all book sales of Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference are donated to charity.  The Every Monday Matters campaigns connect through online communities and via a weekly online newsletter.

Matt Emerzian--

Maybe it was a grandparent, a teacher, a mentor, or a boss. Someone older, patient, or wise. The person who understood you, helped you to see the world through a different view, showed you how to impact your own neighborhood, your life and the lives of others. The one who gave you sound advice to make your way in life.

For me, it was Charles Matoian, my Grandpa, an Armenian immigrant. His parents arrived in the Central Valley of California after fleeing the Genocide in Armenia with one valuable possession–their baby, my grandfather. Like many immigrants, they had no money and no place to live yet they were alive, they had each other, they had desire, and they had human spirit.

As a young boy, my Grandpa started working in the agricultural fields – growing and harvesting fruits and vegetables. After school, my Grandpa would sell his produce at his first street-side produce stand, “Charlie’s Produce.” He started off making one dollar a day. Not a lot, but he was taking personal responsibility, helping his family, contributing. That’s the Armenian way – and, that’s all his family knew.

Over the years, my Grandpa continued to do what he knew best and Charlie’s Produce grew into OK Produce, one of largest produce distribution companies in California leaving a legacy for the next generation of his family.

The night before he died, he told me something I will never forget. “Matt,” he said “Live everyday like it’s your last and try to affect as many people’s lives in a positive way as you can. I love you.”

My Grandpa had a way of making every day of his life matter. And while he incorporated this philosophy into his life, I didn’t really grasp the impact of touching people’s lives until his funeral. The church overflowed as over 1,500 people arrived in the triple-digit heat of a Fresno summer. The church set-up loudspeakers outside so that everyone could be involved. I knew, in that moment, that my Grandpa didn’t just make a living…he made a life.

His beautiful