Food Research: Diet lacking soluble fiber promotes weight gain, mouse ♦ Vitamin D pill a day may improve exercise performance and lower risk of heart disease

Diet lacking soluble fiber promotes weight gain, mouse A new study highlights the importance of the gut microbiome in maintaining intestinal and metabolic health and suggests that eating more foods high in soluble fiber may help prevent metabolic disease and obesity.

Vitamin D pill a day may improve exercise performance and lower risk of heart disease Taking vitamin D supplements can improve exercise performance and lower the risk of heart disease.

Obese people need more vitamin E, but actually get less Obese people with metabolic syndrome face an unexpected quandary when it comes to vitamin E -- they need more than normal levels of the vitamin because their weight and other problems are causing increased oxidative stress, but those same problems actually cause their effective use of vitamin E to be reduced.

Even a little is too much: One junk food snack triggers signals of metabolic disease We hate to ruin Thanksgiving, but a new report suggests that for some people, overindulgence at the dinner table or at snack time is enough to trigger signs of metabolic disease

Food Research: Proof-of-concept for low-cost drug made in lettuce ♦ One in three Americans to need more vitamin E ♦ Soda tax boosts retail prices of sugary drinks

Proteins from rice: raw materials instead of waste Proteins remain after starch is extracted from rice. Until now, this valuable raw material was disposed of by rice starch producers at great expense. A new process is being developed to split proteins into smaller pieces, or peptides, and then clean them. The peptides can be put to good use in products such as cosmetics or nutritional supplements.

Proof-of-concept for low-cost drug made in lettuce Scientists have used a plant-based system to make shelf-stable drugs. The researchers confirmed the viability of their method for FDA approval and human use, producing an effective drug that promotes tolerance to clotting factors, which could be taken by hemophilia patients, using freeze-dried lettuce leaves

Soda tax boosts retail prices of sugary drinks, A new study addresses questions about the efficacy of a voter-approved soda tax passed in 2014. Voters in Berkeley approved the first excise tax in the country on sugar-sweetened beverages, but questions soon arose about whether the move would have its desired effect by increasing the retail price of soda. The latest signs say yes.

Metabolic syndrome leads one in three Americans to need more vitamin E One-third of Americans who have a cluster of health problems that add up to metabolic syndrome don't absorb dietary vitamin E as effectively as healthy people.

1/17/2014 Health News: Death Dust in California - Chinese Allowed to Sue Over Unsafe Foods - Vit. E Helps Alzheimers - Cholesterol Under Control Helps Brain

DEATH DUST:The Valley-Fever Menace.

In 1977, the San Joaquin Valley—the swath of agricultural land that runs through central California—was designated a disaster area. Record-low runoff and scant rainfall had created drought conditions. At the beginning of Christmas week, the weather was normal in Bakersfield, the city at the Valley’s southern end, but in the early hours of December 20th a strong wind began to blow from the Great Basin through the Tehachapi Mountains. Hitting the ground on the downslope, it lofted a cloud of loose topsoil and mustard-colored dust into the sky. Continue Reading

CHINESE COURT EMPOWERS CONSUMERS TO SUE OVER UNSAFE FOOD

Beginning March 15, Chinese consumers will have support from the courts in their efforts to sue manufacturers and retailers of unsafe food and pharmaceuticals, according to the South China Morning Post. The ruling, announced last week, encourages members of the public to take legal action against those who make or market harmful food, drugs, cosmetics... Continue Reading

Vitamin E may Aid Those With Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's

Vitamin E is far from an Alzheimer's cure, but a new study finds it allowed trial participants to get less help from caregivers and therefore retain more independence longer. Taking high doses of vitamin E appears to help people in all stages of Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests. Research a decade ago showed that vitamin E was helpful in late-stage Alzheimer's disease. Unhealthy Cholesterol Levels Might Raise Alzheimer's Risk Continue reading

Keeping cholesterol under control may help brain as well as heart, study suggests

Keeping "bad" cholesterol in check and increasing "good" cholesterol is not only good for your heart, but also your brain, new research suggests. A study from the University of California, Davis, found that low levels of "bad" (LDL) cholesterol and high levels of "good" (HDL) cholesterol are linked to lower levels of so-called amyloid plaque in the brain. A build-up of this plaque is an indication of Alzheimer's disease, the researchers said in a university news release. The researchers suggested that maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is just as important for brain health as controlling blood pressure. "Our study shows that both higher levels of HDL and lower levels of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream are associated with lower levels of amyloid plaque deposits in the brain,".Continue Reading