Honey's Natural Benefits

Medicinal Use Of Honey

What researchers are learning about honey's possible health benefits.

Honey has a long medicinal history. The ancient Egyptians not only made offerings of honey to their gods, they also used it as an embalming fluid and a dressing for wounds. On that last point, at least, they were on to something.

Today, many people swarm to honey for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Holistic practitioners consider it one of nature's best all-around remedies.

But outside of the laboratory, claims for honey's healthfulness are unproven -- except in the area of wound care and, to a lesser extent, cough suppression.

Here's the truth behind the claims about honey's health benefits -- and an important warning.

Never Give Honey to an Infant

Honey is natural and considered harmless for adults. But pediatricians strongly caution against feeding honey to children under 1 year old.

"Do not let babies eat honey," states foodsafety.gov, a web site of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

That's because of the risk of botulism. The spores of the botulism bacteria are found in dust and soil that may make their way into honey. Infants do not have a developed immune system to defend against infection, says Jatinder Bhatia, MD, a Georgia neonatologist who heads the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Nutrition.

"It's been shown very clearly that honey can give infants botulism," a paralytic disorder in which the infant must be given anti-toxins and often be placed on a respirator in an intensive care unit, he says. Bhatia has never seen a case of infant botulism.

But parents may feed their infants cereals that contain honey, he says. "It's cooked, so it's OK," Bhatia says. He explains that when it comes to botulism risk, "we're talking about honey out of the bottle.''

The National Honey Board, which the USDA oversees, also agrees that infants should not be given honey. "The concern for babies stems from the fact that infants lack the fully developed gastrointestinal tract of older humans," the Board's web site states.

Antibacterial Honey?

In the laboratory, honey has been shown to hamper the growth of food-borne pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella, and to fight certain bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, both of which are common in hospitals and doctors' offices. But whether it does the same in people hasn't been proven.

Shop for honey and you'll see that some are lighter, others are darker. In general, the darker the honey, the better its antibacterial and antioxidant power.

Honey comes in many varieties, depending on the floral source of pollen or nectar gathered and regurgitated by the honey bee upon arrival in the hive.

Honey producers may apply to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for a grade on their product, but the score does not account for color. Rather, the honey is judged for clarity, aroma, and flavor, and the absence of sediments, such as honeycomb particles.

Honey and Wound Care

Manuka honey is sometimes used to treat chronic leg ulcers and pressure sores.
Manuka honey is made in New Zealand from the nectar of Leptospermum scoparium. It's the basis of Medihoney, which the FDA approved in 2007 for use in treating wounds and skin ulcers. It works very well to stimulate healing, says wound care specialist Frank Bongiorno, MD, of Ann Arbor, Mich.

"Medihoney has been our standard for healing wounds in the past year, since it started coming on the market," Bongiorno says. A healing wound, whether chronic or acute, is a clean, granulating wound that is absent of bacteria and swelling. Bongiorno doesn't use Medihoney for burns because it can cause pain.

Bongiorno has visited Haiti, where people use ordinary honey for wounds, and although it isn't harmful, it doesn't have the impact of Medihoney, which is purified with ultraviolet light rather than heat. Its antibacterial action is better preserved, he says.

That, of course, is useful in treating wounds, but it is Manuka honey's pH content, which leans toward acidic, that helps the healing process, says Bongiorno, who has no ties to Medihoney's maker. "It is soothing and feels good to the wound.''

Honey and Allergies

Some laboratory studies suggest honey has the potential to clear up stuffy noses and ease allergies triggered by pollen. But it's a bit of a stretch to apply that to patients, says New Jersey allergist Corinna Bowser, MD.

Bowser says she doesn't consider the studies on honey and congestion to be adequate, for a few reasons: most allergy sufferers are sensitive to wind-carried pollens like grass and ragweed -- the kind not carried by bees and transformed into honey.

"If you want to treat someone for common allergies, it's not commonly found in bee honey," Bowser says.

"Even if there are allergens in the honey, it wouldn't make a difference, because it gets broken down by stomach acids and doesn't trigger an immunological response," Bowser says. In contrast, "The pills we take for allergies are coated so they don't get broken down," she says.

Honey and the Common Cold

Maryland family doctor Ariane Cometa, MD, who describes herself as a holistic practitioner, likes to use a buckwheat honey-based syrup to ease early symptoms of a cold. She says it calms inflamed membranes and eases a cough -- the latter claim supported by a few studies.

In a study that involved 139 children, honey beat out dextromethorphan (a cough suppressant) and diphenhydramine (an antihistamine) in easing nighttime cough in children and improving their sleep.

Another study involving 105 children found that buckwheat honey trumped dextromethorphan in suppressing nighttime coughs.

"If you're suffering from a cold or something going on in the throat or upper airways, getting on board with honey syrup will help fight infection and soothe membranes," says Cometa, who also recommends a buckwheat honey-based allergy medicine.

Honey and Diabetes

Even if honey is natural, it is no better than ordinary white or brown sugar for dieters or people with diabetes, says dietitian Toby Smithson, RD, CDE, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and founder of the web site, Diabetes Everyday.

A tablespoon of honey, in fact, has more carbohydrates and calories than granulated white or brown sugar.

"One of my favorite quotes is that 'a sugar is a sugar' when it comes to diabetes," Smithson says. "I think it's a widespread myth that honey is better for diabetes. Some patients don't classify honey as a sugar.''

Smithson, who has type 1 diabetes, says she prefers getting carbs from a cup of fresh berries or a carton of yogurt because they have about the same number of carbs as a tablespoon of honey -- but less sugar.

"There are some minerals and vitamins and antioxidant properties in honey -- the darker the honey, the higher the level of antioxidants -- but with yogurt, you can also get those benefits. When you have diabetes, you have to be picky and choosy about carbs and calories.''


By Julie Edgar
WebMD Feature


Honey as Nature’s Skin Care

Manufacturers have used honey in everything from hand lotions and moisturizers to bar soaps and bubble baths. One reason they use honey is for its wholesome, all-natural image; more and more consumers are demanding cosmetics and personal care products made from natural ingredients. In the case of honey, however, image is just the beginning.

First, honey is a humectant, which means it attracts and retains moisture. This makes honey a natural fit in a variety of moisturizing products including cleansers, creams, shampoos and conditioners.

Look for honey in store-bought beauty products or simply add a squeeze of honey to your moisturizer, shampoo or soap at home.  For some extra pampering, try whipping up a simple beauty recipe yourself.

Using honey, a natural humectant with antimicrobial properties, we have created a series of recipes that will help hydrate skin while relaxing the soul.

We also recommend the following tips for keeping skin at its pure and natural best.
Protect Skin from the Sun: Use sunblock every day - not just when it’s sunny. Apply sunscreen 30 to 40 minutes before exposure to allow active ingredients to begin working.

Cleanse Twice Daily: Cleansing in the morning removes waste excreted during the skin’s nocturnal self-cleansing process. In the evening, it ensures removal dirt, oil and makeup.

Get Adequate Sleep: Your skin will tell you if you’re sleep deprived. Without adequate sleep, your body can’t restore and repair itself. Not only will you live longer, your skin will look better, too!

Reduce Stress: Stress ages body tissue - especially skin tissue. Exercise, massage therapy, yoga, aromatherapy and meditation are highly effective against stress.

 -pHg-

Lose Weight Easy Ways

It’s only natural to want quick weight loss results once you make the commitment to shed a few pounds or more. But this is one area in which slow and steady is the way to go. “Permanent weight loss can only be achieved when one makes a lifestyle change,” says Peter Vash, MD, MPH, executive director of Lindora Medical Clinics in Costa Mesa, Calif. and assistant clinical professor of medicine at UCLA’s Center for Health Sciences in Los Angeles. Eating a healthful diet and sweating it out regularly are the best ways to reach your weight-loss goal. But here’s how to make those two pound-shedding tools work to your advantage.

One key to achieving healthy weight loss is to use your scale. “Weighing yourself is an important part of any weight loss program as it helps to hold you accountable and keep you on track,” says Dr. Vash. How often you do so is up to you — within reason. Vash recommends weigh-ins at least once a week — around the same time of day — and not more often than once or twice a day. Keep in mind small variances in the number on the scale can occur because of water retention or dehydration.

While we’d all like to snap our fingers and be instantly slim, it takes time and effort to see results — especially when it comes to exercise. At a minimum, adults should get 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity, coupled with two or more days of strength training all muscle groups to boost your weight-loss efforts. Exercise is crucial for both healthy weight loss in the short-term and maintaining a slimmer silhouette in the future.

Emotional support from family and friends can go a long way toward encouraging you to reach your weight-loss goal. If you’re in charge of the grocery store runs, rather than loading up on chips and cookies at the supermarket, buy fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — and convert the whole family to eating a healthy diet. Support groups are another great option to help you stay on track. Ask your doctor for a local recommendation or look online for Web-based support groups where you’ll be able to share weight-loss tips.

Changing your bad eating patterns is essential. “Giving in to food cravings promotes excess eating,” says Vash. “It is important to remove foods you crave (cookies, sodas, candy, chips, ice cream) from your home and office.” Giving in is a surefire way to slow down the weight loss process. Instead, opt for healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grains, and use strategies to help stop a craving in its tracks. When your sweet tooth strikes, try to thwart it by drinking water, tea, or coffee with non-fat milk and artificial sugar.

While it may seem counterintuitive for quick weight loss, eating three meals a day is important when trying to shed pounds. Skipping breakfast can lead to excessive hunger, which can sabotage a healthy diet and cause you to overeat later in the day. Consider starting the day off with filling oatmeal or another whole grain cereal to keep you feeling satisfied longer. And don’t try to substitute a snack for a meal — your body will know the difference.

Binge eating — consuming large amounts of food in a short period of time — will get in the way of reaching a healthy weight. The disorder can be triggered by emotional issues or stress from being on a diet. Try to fight the temptation to overindulge with extra calories, which will only set you back. Instead, try taking a walk, going to the gym, or calling a close friend to get your mind off the desire to eat.

Almost everything is more fun with a friend, and that includes shedding pounds. Try to find a buddy to team up with on your quest for healthy weight loss. You can motivate each other by sharing recipes and weight-loss tips and by hitting the gym together. Both of you should keep a food journal as well, which helps encourage you to eat healthy foods. Consider recording a second log of your exercise routines, too.

It’s easy to fall for fad diets when looking for quick ways to lose weight. Any diet that promises immediate results with little to no effort should raise a red flag. Also, any eating plan that fixates on a specific type of food, restricts certain foods, or doesn’t consider counting calories should not be a part of a healthy diet.

One way to assist in healthy weight loss is to set some rules for yourself. “It is very important not to eat after dinner because that accounts for a large portion of excess weight gain,” says Vash. Avoid grazing and refrigerator-raiding at all costs as well as mindlessly eating while watching your favorite television shows. Also, never eat in the car. Not only will your vehicle be cleaner, but it’ll be that much easier to bypass your favorite fast food drive-thru and stick to your healthy diet.

Pay attention to what you drink as well as what you eat when looking for boost your weight-loss success. Alcohol, sodas, and even lemonade and juices are full of calories that can undermine a healthy diet. Instead of these sugary beverages, try drinking water (plain or flavored, regular or carbonated), tea, or coffee. Another weight-loss tip: If you do choose to indulge in a glass of juice, try watering it down to reduce calories.

source: Everyday Health

Vitamins and Minerals

What You Eat is Just as Important as How Much You Eat

Your body is growing a baby, and you need the right kind of fuel to do a good job. Vitamins and minerals help your body use the energy provided by foods. They also help repair and maintain cells and tissues. A prenatal supplement is a vitamin and mineral supplement you can take daily to make sure you're getting the right amount of certain important nutrients during pregnancy.

In general, you'll want to look for one that contains more of certain nutrients (such as folic acid and iron) that you may not be able to get enough of from your diet. Just as important is to find one that includes no more than the recommended amounts of other nutrients (particularly vitamin A) that can be harmful to your baby if you take too much.

This is one of the reasons that most prenatal supplements contain vitamin A at least partly in the form of beta-carotene, a nutrient that you get from fruits and vegetables that converts to vitamin A in the body. Unlike vitamin A from animal products, which has been known to cause birth defects when taken in high doses before conception or during pregnancy, beta-carotene is not considered to be toxic in high doses.

You may also want to take an omega-3 supplement. In addition to the many wonderful things omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to do, including improving the health of your heart, preventing cancer, reducing hypertension, and easing symptoms of lupus and other autoimmune diseases, it can also do some wonderful things for your baby. Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids help improve brain and eye development in the fetus and baby. Plus, extra amounts of omega-3 can help you ward off depression.

Variety is the Key to Health
What are some good choices? Fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads and pastas, milk products, and low-fat protein sources such as lean red meat, beans, tofu, poultry and some fish. (See Food to Avoid for a list of fish that are off-limits to pregnant women.)

Folic Acid
If you eat well and have no specific risk factors, the experts do not agree about whether you need to take a prenatal supplement. So talk with your practitioner about what's right for you. But everyone does agree that you need to take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid a day in addition to the folic acid you get from food.

Start taking folic acid at least a month before you start trying to get pregnant and during your first trimester. In fact, since half of all pregnancies are unplanned, the U.S. Public Health Service recommends that ALL women of childbearing age take 400 mcg of folic acid a day. That's because research has shown that doing this can reduce the risk of neural tube defects in your baby by up to 70 percent.

If you do take a prenatal supplement, it's likely to contain between 600 and 1,000 mcg of folic acid. If you don't take one, make sure you still take a separate folic acid supplement. If you've previously had a baby with neural tube defects, you'll need to take 4,000 mcg, or 4 milligrams, of this vitamin each day starting at least a month before conception; see your practitioner about getting a prescription for pills that provide this larger dose.

Women with Certain Health Issues
Women with dietary restrictions or pregnancy complications need to take a prenatal supplement - and not just for the folic acid and iron. This includes vegetarians and vegans; women who are lactose-intolerant or have certain other food intolerances; smokers and women who abuse other substances; women who are having twins or higher multiples; and women with certain blood disorders and chronic diseases. If any of these situations apply to you, talk to your caregiver about what kind of supplement is best for you.

Important Vitamins and Minerals:

• Calcium (1,000mg) Where to get it: Dairy foods, dark leafy greens, calcium-fortified soy milk, calcium-fortified juices and cereals
• Folate (folic acid is the synthetic form, available in supplements)(600mcg) Where to get it: Dried beans, peas, lentils, orange juice, oranges, dark leafy greens, soy nuts, avocados, broccoli, asparagus
• Iron (27mg) Where to get it: Liver, meat, seafood, prune juice, dry beans, wheat germ, oatmeal, tofu, soy nuts, grains
• Protein (70g) Where to get it: Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy foods, beans and legumes, nuts
• Vitamin C (85mg) Where to get it: Citrus fruits and juices, strawberries, bell peppers, tomatoes, dark leafy greens, broccoli, Brussel sprouts
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids (200-300mg)Where to get it: Salmon, walnuts, flaxseed, leafy-green vegetables

What the Experts Say
Your health care provider will most likely recommend you take prenatal multivitamins containing the recommended amounts of vitamins, including folic acid. Your prenatal vitamin is crucial throughout pregnancy to support the growth of the baby, so be sure you take it every day. In fact, your need for iron doubles during pregnancy, and you may not be able to get enough from your diet.

Some pregnant women need to take a 30-milligram iron supplement during their second and third trimesters to help prevent anemia. Your health care provider will recommend one if you need it. Your provider also may recommend a calcium supplement if you are unable to consume dairy products. Never take a supplement that contains more than the Daily Value (DV) of vitamins and minerals without talking to your health care provider, because large doses of certain vitamins (such as vitamin A) may harm your baby.

source : Pregnancy-Info

7 More Vital Vitamins for Pregnant Woman

When you are pregnant it is important that you fully appreciate the significance of vitamins and minerals. They are essential for the healthy development of your unborn baby. Therefore, you need to know what the various vitamins do and more importantly how you can make them a part of your diet. In this article there are seven of these important vitamins and minerals in greater detail

1. Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine):- This vitamin helps your baby's brain and nervous system develop. In some cases it has also been noted to reduce morning sickness. Pyridoxine can be sourced in; bananas, watermelon, chick peas and chicken breast.
2. Calcium:- This mineral is essential for the development of your baby's bones and your need for this mineral will increase greatly during pregnancy. Calcium deficiency can lead to osteoprosis (porous bones) and reduce the strength of your baby's bones. Calcium is contained in lots of dairy products such as; milk, cheese, yogurt, spinach, tofu and broccoli.
3. Vitamin E:- This vitamin helps a baby's muscles and red blood cells to develop. A lack of Vitamin E has been linked with low birthweight, whilst getting too much of this vitamin has been associated with stillbirth. It is therefore vital that you ask for your doctor's advice before considering Vitamin E supplementation. You can get Vitamin E in a number of foods including; vegetable oil, nuts, and fortified cereals.
4. Iron:- This mineral plays a major role in the development of red blood cells which are required for the healthy development of your baby. Iron is also an important mineral in the growth of the placenta. Iron can be sourced from; red meats, vegetables, grains and fortified cereals.
5. Protein:- Protein is one of the core building blocks in all your baby's body cells. The need for protein increases during the second and third trimester of your pregnancy. Many dietary products are rich in protein including; meat, fish, eggs, cheese and tofu. It can also be found in supplements such as bars and shakes.
6. Vitamin B1 (Thiamin):- This vitamin is essential for the development of your baby's central nervous system. Not getting enough Thiamin can put your baby at risk of beriberi which can damage the baby's heart and lungs. Foods which contain Thiamin include; whole grain foods, wheat germ and eggs.
7. Zinc:- This mineral is highly important for cell growth in your unborn baby. Zinc also promotes the production of enzymes such as insulin in pregnant women. Zinc can be found in; red meats, poultry, beans, grains and dairy products.

Vitamins and minerals are a crucial part of any pregnant woman's diet. I hope this article gives you some guidance on which vitamins you need and where you can find them. However, for professional advice on the vitamins and minerals you will require during your pregnancy you should consult your doctor.

source : Article Base

Supermarket : Unhealthy Foods

The Top 10 Most Unhealthy Foods in Your Supermarket.

You might want to consider taking the following unhealthy foods off the menu if you want to live a long and healthy life . The food you put into your mouth every day plays a much bigger role in how healthy you are than your genes.

1. Margarine

The process used to make a liquid oil opaque yellow and spreadable produces an incredibly unhealthy product that hardly qualifies to be called a food. It doesn’t matter if you start with the best quality extra virgin olive, the final product is still an unhealthy food.

Promoted as a cholesterol free and healthier choice than good old butter, margarine is the ultimate source of trans fats, which rather ironically elevate cholesterol and damage blood vessel walls. Even more ironic is the fact that margarine is still recommended by health authorities including the Australian Heart Foundation who also promote reducing dietary trans fats. Clever loopholes in labelling allow margarines to claim that they are ‘virtually’ trans fat free. Margarine is a good example of a politically correct unhealthy food.

What about the new cholesterol lowering margarines?

Save your money, you’ll be getting a dose of the very same phyto sterols by using extra virgin olive oil liberally in your diet. Most fruits and vegetables also contain phyto sterols. Flaxseed or linseed meal, nuts, seeds and legumes are all rich sources of phytosterols.

For a more detailed overview of the processes involved in making margarine, visit the Stop Trans Fats website

For more info on the dangers of trans fats:
Today Tonight Report: The Truth about Trans Fats

2. Breakfast Cereals

These cleverly marketed, attractively boxed ‘foods’ are in my opinion one of the most unhealthy foods in your supermarket.

And it’s not just me who thinks this.

According to Dr. Peter Dingle, a Western Australian Toxicologist and author of “My Dog Eats Better than Your Kids” and “The DEAL for Happier, Healthier, and Smarter Kids”, McDonalds makes a more nutritious breakfast than Cornflakes!

Even Choice Magazine agrees with me. They looked at the top 10 selling children’s breakfast cereals and concluded that you may as well have a candy bar for breakfast they were so high in sugar and lacking in nutrients. Iron man food they most definitely are not.

Besides the addition of sugar and refined salt, breakfast cereals are made from highly processed grains. You might start off with a nice healthy whole grain but by the time you’ve puffed it or turned it into a nice crunchy flake, you’re left with something your body no longer recognises as food. The process used to make the little ‘O’s, pellets, shreds, flakes and other shapes in your cereal bowl is called ‘extrusion’. The extrusion process damages the nutrients and proteins in the grain leaving them devoid of nutrients, highly toxic and not much more than empty calories – watch this space, they will be the trans fats of the future. For more info on the dangers of the extrusion process read Dirty Secrets of the Food Processing Industry by Sally Fallon

3. Refined Vegetable Oils

A diet high in omega 6 polyunsaturated vegetable oils has been linked to an increased risk of:

• Cancer
  (Escrich E, et al. 2006. Are the olive oil and other dietary lipids related to cancer? Experimental evidence. Clinical and Translational Oncology).
  (Peskin BS, Carter MJ. 2008. Chronic cellular hypoxia as the prime cause of cancer: what is the de-oxygenating role of adulterated and improper ratios of polyunsaturated fatty acids when incorporated into cell membranes? Medical Hypothises.)
• Melanoma
  (Vinceti M et al. 2005. A population-based case-control study of diet and melanoma risk in northern Italy. Public Health and Nutrition)
• Learning disorders
• Allergies
• Immune suppression
• Heart disease
• Atherosclerosis (hardened plaques in your arteries)
• Reproductive problems

A pretty impressive list for a food we’ve been urged to consume more of for the last 20 years.

Polyunsaturated vegetable oils are highly fragile and easily damaged and subject to rancidity producing huge amounts of free radicals. The refining process also strips them of their natural antioxidants including vitamin E which in turn depletes your body of valuble antioxidants when you eat them.

The only oils in my kitchen include sesame oil, ghee and coconut oil for cooking, olive oil for salad dressings and butter to turn steamed vegetables from boring to mouth watering.

4.Doughnuts

According to Carla Wolper, Nutritionist at the New York Obesity Research Centre, “When it comes to health, the only thing good about them is the hole”.

Break down a doughnut and you’re left with nothing but refined sugar and flour, artificial flavors and partially hydrogenated oil. They’re also loaded with trans fats – hello heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

Despite the fact that they’re about as healthy as a packet of cigarettes, doughnuts are increasingly used in school fundraisers these days. And we wonder why as a society that diabetes and obesity are set to cripple our health care system in the next decade.

Even if you live by the mantra of ‘everything in moderation’, treat doughnuts like rat poison rather than a food.

5. Soft Drinks

Your average can of soft drink contains the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar (about 150 calories) as well as artificial food colours and sulphites. Sulphites are well known triggers of asthma and other allergies. Diet soft drinks are just as unhealthy, artificial sweeteners like aspartame are potent ‘excitotoxins’ to the brain and nervous system and have also been linked to an increased risk of obesity.

Soft drinks are definitely not a ‘soft’ option in the junk food stakes, they increase your risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

Soft drink are a particularly unhealthy food for children as they are a significant risk factor for impaired calcification of growing bones – you wouldn’t dream of letting your child smoke a cigarette or drink a glass of wine as a ‘special treat’ so it makes no sense that it’s OK to give a child a can of cola as a weekend treat.

According to a report in the medical journal of Australia, “There is much to be gained by reducing children’s intake of soft drinks and little — except excess weight — to be lost”. Not to mention healthier bones and teeth.

The easiest way to stop yourself and your family drinking soft drink is to simply stop buying it. If it’s not in the fridge you can’t drink it.

Sarah Luck
Natural Health Consultant
Sydney
www.TheNaturalHealthHub.com

Regards,

Samuel Gultom
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Diarrhea in Children

Diarrhea in a young child is often a sign of simple infection. It should clear up quickly, but don’t ignore the situation. In young children and babies with diarrhea, dehydration can set in quickly and be very dangerous.

Causes of Diarrhea in Children

Diarrhea can strike children of any age, but tends to be more frequent and problematic in younger children and babies. The most frequent cause of diarrhea is an infection by a parasite, bacteria, or virus — especially the rotavirus.

"In children preschool age and younger, it's usually a sign of infection," says Marsha H. Kay, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist and head of pediatric endoscopy at the Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. "The main issue is that there are a lot of different infections that they can get that they don't have immunity to yet."

Dr. Kay says another common cause of diarrhea is "toddler's diarrhea," a result of drinking too much juice or other sugary drinks. A child’s gastrointestinal system becomes overwhelmed by all the fluid and sugar, resulting in diarrhea. This can be easily prevented by limiting the amount of juice and other sugary drinks that your child consumes, notes Kay.

Other triggers that are causes of diarrhea include:

• Sensitivities or allergies to certain foods, such as dairy products
• Side effects of antibiotics
• Other illnesses or health conditions, like celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease
• Too much candy or sugary foods

Diarrhea Symptoms in Children

Diarrhea is characterized by loose, watery, and runny stools. Children usually feel the urge to have a bowel movement frequently throughout the day and may also experience abdominal pain and cramping. If the diarrhea is caused by an infection, your child may also have nausea and vomiting, a loss of weight, fever, no desire to eat or drink anything, and signs of dehydration.

Dehydration is a serious concern for anyone, but it is a particularly precarious situation for young children and infants. Infants can become dangerously dehydrated quickly, so keep an eye out for these signs of dehydration when your child has diarrhea:

• Producing little to no urine, which may be dark in color
• Being very thirsty
• Crying without making tears
• Having a dry mouth or skin that seems dry or firm (lacking elasticity)

Treating Diarrhea in Children

To prevent dehydration, make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids during any bout with diarrhea. Medication to manage the diarrhea isn't usually necessary, but if it continues for more than 24 hours, you may need to see a pediatrician to treat a potential infection. Also, be sure to discuss with your pediatrician what type of fluid you should be giving your child when he has diarrhea.

Diarrhea may simply clear up and your child can quickly get back to normal, but there are signs that you should call to your child's pediatrician.

Kay says to contact your doctor if the diarrhea hasn't stopped or you see blood in it. Also, contact a medical professional if the child has a fever or can't maintain proper hydration.

A quick bout of diarrhea doesn't have to become a dangerous digestive health concern — just give your child plenty of water and some mild foods until he's feeling better again. But watch for worsening symptoms or signs of dehydration and always call your pediatrician if you need that extra reassurance.

source: Everyday Health

By Diana Rodriguez

Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Regards,

Samuel Gultom
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Relationship Of Diet To Health

Synopsis

This page briefly examines the relationship of diet to health and defines the concept of functional foods. A dietary supplement is considered as an addition to the diet to enhance health. Foods as medicine underpins the paradigm of functional foods. The recognition of medicinal mushrooms as functional foods or as dietary supplements is fully discussed especially in the concept of Chinese holistic medicine and modern immunology.

In the developed nations of this world many causes of death or disability such as coronary heart disease, strokes, diabetes, atherosclerosis, obesity and certain forms of cancer can, in considerable part, be attributed to diet (Barasi, 1997). Poor food selection and restricted dietary intake can affect the nutritional status of an individual at any stage of life and can lead to impairment of long term health. Increasingly, scientific evidence is supporting the view that diet controls and modulates many functions of the human body and accordingly participates in the maintenance of the state of good health or homeostasis necessary to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases (Carter, 1993). Over the last few decades the science of nutrition has progressed from being largely epidemiologically based to the greater understanding of the physiological and genetic mechanisms by which diet and individual food components influence health and disease. It is indeed a paradox that nutrition is essential to support life but can also be considered as a causation of many chronic diseases.

Arising from the awareness of the relationship between diet and disease, has evolved the concept of “functional foods” and the development of a new scientific discipline “functional food science” (Sadler and Saltmarsh, 1998). A food may be considered to be functional if it contains a food component (whether a nutrient or not) which affects one or more identified functions in the body in a positive manner. Correspondingly, it can also include foods in which potentially harmful components have been removed by technological means. The US Academy of Science has defined functional foods as those that “encompass potentially healthful products” including “any modified food or food ingredient that may provide a health benefit beyond the traditional nutrients it contains” (Thomas and Earl, 1994).

Functional foods come in a plethora of name forms, e.g. dietary supplements, nutra-or nutri-ceuticals, medical foods, vita foods, pharmafoods, phytochemicals, mycochemicals, biochemopreventatives, designer foods and foods for specific health uses (Hasler, 1996; Head et al., 1996). Such complex designations could well be an impediment to their rightful maturation and consumer acceptance (Zeisel, 1999).

There continues to be much confusion over these names especially in the commercial world. However, the term dietary supplement (DS) is now being more widely accepted and recognised. The term DS was formally defined by the US administration in 1994 as a product intended to supplement the diet to enhance health. A DS includes one or more of the following dietary ingredients: a mineral, amino acid, vitamin, herb or other botanical; or it is a dietary substance used to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake and is intended for ingestion in the form of a capsule, powder, softgel or gel cap and not represented as a conventional food or as a sole item of a meal or the diet (Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, Public Law 103-417, 1994).

However, foods as medicine underpins the paradigm of functional foods. Functional foods cannot claim to cure diseases but, increasingly, evidence is being produced that supports the role of some functional foods in disease prevention (Steinmetz and Potter, 1991). The concept of foods as medicine does not fit easily within the current expertise of either pharmaceutical or food companies and the full creative development of functional foods may well require new alliances between these companies with respect to regulatory issues.

Functional food science is now considered as a part of nutritional science in which the primary objectives are to maintain good health, improve homeostasis and to create the conditions for disease risk reduction. In this way it should be seen to be quite distinct from the medical and pharmaceutical sciences where the objectives are mainly to cure or control diseases (Saris et al. 1998; Diplock et al. 1998). In many ways conventional medicine seeks to eliminate disease rather than to fortify the patient.
In essence, functional food science aims:

1. To identify beneficial interactions between the presence or absence of a food component (macronutrient, micronutrient or so-called non-nutrient) and a specific function or functions in the body;
2. To understand their mechanisms so as to support hypotheses to be treated in protocols relevant for human studies. This will require multidisciplinary research programs containing the expertise of scientific partners including biochemists, nutritionists, the medical profession and process technologists.

Functional foods are set to play an increasingly important role in national efforts in developed nations to curtail medical expenditure and also to improve the dietary habits of the populace. Consumers are becoming increasingly more health conscious and discerning in the types of foodstuffs that are purchased. It is now not possible to overlook the critical role that diet, including functional foods, can play in general health and well-being. Many types of cancer can now be linked to inappropriate diets. In contrast, regular consumption of fruits and vegetables (now viewed as classical examples of functional foods) are now considered as essential ingredients in cancer prevention programmes (Steinmetz and Potter, 1991).


Medicinal mushrooms

Mushrooms have long been valued as highly tasty and nutritional foods by many societies throughout the world (Chang and Miles, 1989). Early civilisations, by trial and error built up a practical knowledge of those suitable to eat and those to be avoided, e.g. poisonous or even psychotropic. In many parts of the world, especially Europe, wild mushrooms are regularly collected and used directly as a main source of food or added to soups, stews and teas.

Mushrooms are considered to be a good source of digestible proteins with protein content above most vegetables and somewhat less than most meats and milk. Protein content can vary from 10-40% on a dry weight basis.

Mushrooms contain all the essential amino acids, but can be limiting in the sulphur-containing amino acids, cystine and methionine (Chang, 1991; Breene, 1990).

Fresh mushrooms contain 3-21% carbohydrates and 3-35% fibre on a dry weight basis. Thus, a considerable proportion of the carbohydrate of mushrooms consists of dietary fibre which cannot easily be digested by humans and whichl function essentially as dietary fibre; in this way the calorific value of most mushrooms is low.

Mushrooms probably contain every mineral present in their growth substrate including substantial quantities of phosphorous and potassium, lesser amounts of calcium and iron. Mushrooms appear to be an excellent source of vitamins especially thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin, biotin and ascorbic acid (VitC). Vitamins A and D are relatively uncommon although several species contain detectable amounts of ß-carotine and ergosterol which converts to active vitamin D when exposed to ultraviolet irradiation.

While crude fat in mushrooms contains all the main classes of lipid compounds including free fatty acids, mono-, di- and triglycerides, sterols, sterol esters and phospholipids, levels are generally low, around 2-8% of dry weight (Breene, 1990). Without doubt, edible mushrooms in fresh, cooked or processed forms are a nutritionally sound, tasteful food source for most people and can be a significant dietary component for vegetarians (Breene, 1990). In China, the term Yakuzen is generally used for medicinal food dishes of mushrooms.

However, in the Orient several thousand years ago, there was the recognition that many edible and certain non-edible mushrooms could have valuable health benefits (Bensky and Gamble, 1993; Hobbs, 1995). The edible mushrooms which demonstrate medicinal or functional properties include species of Lentinus (Lentinula), Auricularia, Hericium, Grifola, Flammulina, Pleurotus and Tremella while others are known only for their medicinal properties, e.g. Ganoderma and Trametes (Coriolus) – these are definitely non-edible due to their coarse and hard texture or bitter taste. The historical evolution of usage of these essentially scarce, forest-
obtained medicinal mushrooms would most certainly not have been as whole mushrooms but as hot water extracts, concentrates, liquors or powders and used in health tonics, tinctures, teas, soups and herbal formulae.

Nowadays, almost all of the important medicinal mushrooms have been subjected to large-scale artificial cultivation, thus removing the historical scarcity factor. This also ensures accuracy of identification and increased reliability and consistency of medicinal products. Also many of the edible species of medicinal mushrooms are gaining worldwide popularity because of their unique flavours, textures and amenability to culinary inclusion.
Indeed, most people in the West who enjoy the unique organoleptic features of the Shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes) are singularly unaware of its possible health benefits. Regular consumption of whole medicinal, edible mushrooms could introduce a functional or medicinal contribution within the individual’s diet. The extent of the health beneficial effect will be dependent on the level and regularity of consumption and the relevance of whole fresh medicinal mushrooms and concentrates will be discussed in later chapters.

When used for a therapeutic intention the medicinal mushrooms are normally consumed as powdered concentrates or extracts in hot water, and the extract concentrated and used as a drink or freeze-dried or spray-dried to form granular powders which allow easier handling, transportation and consumption (Mizuno et al. 1995). As such, these liquid concentrates or dried, powdered mushrooms contained in capsules can be considered as dietary supplements or mushroom nutriceuticals with potential health benefits (Chang and Buswell, 1996). Mushroom nutriceuticals are usually crude mixtures and should not be confused with pharmaceuticals which
are almost invariably a defined chemical preparation, the specifications for which are listed in pharmacopoeia. Regular intake of these concentrates is believed to enhance the immune responses of the human body, thereby increasing resistance to disease and in some cases causing regression of the disease state (Jong et al. 1991).

These mushroom dietary supplements are used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine in various combinations, often with other herbal products, to treat many medical conditions.
A limited number of highly purified polysaccharide compounds derived from certain medicinal mushrooms are now being used, particularly in Japan, as pharmaceutical grade products.

Immune system modulation has long been a feature of Chinese holistic medicine and is referred to as Fu Zheng therapy. Fu Zheng can be considered as the Oriental equivalent of Western immunotherapy. Compounds derived from certain medicinal mushrooms are used extensively in the Orient to increase disease resistance and to normalise body functions. Such extracts are used to treat deficient principles or qi or ch’i, the ‘vital’ or life energy, blood and yin (fluid) and yang
functionality (especially the kidney).

Cancer and its treatment by conventional therapies as chemotherapy and radiotherapy are known to have adverse effects on the human immune system. Cancer immunology has become a rapidly growing field in basic cancer research. Ways are now being sought to promote host antitumour immune cell activity and to overcome the ability of the cancer cell to evade immune surveillance (Curt, 1998; Cassileth, 2000). Immunostimulating agents would possibly be useful adjuncts to conventional treatments of cancer if they do not interfere with the ability of the
conventional treatment to kill tumour cells. These approaches, like chemo- and radiotherapy, are designed to cause the destruction of tumour cells but to be much more tumour-specific than present treatments and, consequently, less harmful to normal cells.

One of the most noticeable features of extracts derived from many medicinal mushrooms is their ability to function as immunomodulators. As such, the physiological constitution of host defence mechanisms are improved by the intake of these mushroom compounds which restore homeostasis and enhance resistance to disease. A central premise in Oriental medicine is to regulate homeostasis of the whole body and to return the diseased individual to the normal state.

It is interesting to note that several of the medicinal mushrooms and their concentrates are becoming particularly popular in the US – the movement began with a drive towards “healthy food” in the 60s-70s; now it is towards “healthy medicine”. People are interested in the medicinal mushrooms because they appear to have been used with considerable effect for hundreds of years in the Orient while many modern widely used pharmaceuticals while offering undoubted health benefits can also in some cases have serious side-effects. Furthermore, it is now increasingly being recognised that diet is intimately associated with optimal health and the tenet of Hippocrates c 400 B.C. “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food” is fast becoming a truism for many people.

Over the last 2-3 decades scientific and medical studies have been carried out in Japan, China, Korea and more recently US which have increasingly demonstrated the potent and unique health enhancing properties of compounds extracted from a range of medicinal mushrooms. Explanations of how such compounds function in animal and human systems are now regularly appearing in peer-reviewed scientific and medical journals.

This review will aim to give a detailed analysis of the history and present state of knowledge of these organisms, methods of cultivation, range of organisms, methods of extraction, and detailed examination of medical implications with special emphasis on immuno-stimulation and cancer treatment. The review will also examine international regulations related to the use of such compounds (dietary supplements) with particular emphasis on safety. While the review will concentrate largely on their applications in the treatment of cancer, a brief overview of the wide
range of other medical uses will also be included.


References

Barasi, M. 1997. Human Nutrition: a Health Perspective. Arnold, London.

Bensky, D. and Gamble, A. 1993. Chinese Materia Medica. 2nd Ed., Eastland Press, Seattle.

Breene, W. 1990. Nutritional and medicinal value of speciality mushrooms. Journal of Food
Production 53, 883-894.

Carter, J. 1993. Food: Your Miracle Medicine. Harper Collins Publishers Inc., New York.

Cassileth, B.R. 2000. Complementary therapies; the American experience. Support Case Cancer 8,
16-23.

Chang, S.T. 1991. Cultivated mushrooms. In: Handbook of Applied Mycology, Vol. 3., pp. 221-240.
Marcel Dekker, New York.

Chang, S.T. and Buswell, J.A. 1996. Mushroom nutriceuticals. World Journal of Microbial
Biotechnology 12, 473-476.

Chang, S.T. and Miles, P.G. 1989. Edible Mushrooms and Their Cultivation. CRC Press, Boca
Raton.

Curt, G.A. 1988. Investment in research is a national priority. Oncologist 3, 64-66.

Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act, 1994. Public Law 103-417, 25th October 1994.
Codified at 42USC 287C-11.

Diplock, A.T., Charleux, J-L. 1998. Functional food science and defense against reactive oxidative
species. British Journal of Nutrition 80 Suppl. 577-612.

Hasler, C.M. 1996. Functional food: the Western perspective. Nutrition Reviews 54, 506-510.

Head, R.J., Record, I.R. and King, R.A. 1996. Functional foods; approaches to definition and
substantiation. Nutrition Reviews 54, 517-520.

Hobbs, C. 1995. Medicinal Mushrooms: An Exploitation of Tradition, Healing and Culture. Botanica
Press, Santa Cruz.

Source :
Medicinal Mushrooms:Their therapeutic properties and current medical usage with special emphasis on cancertreatments , May 2002 , Smith, Rowan

Preschool Nutrition

Preschool Nutrition

You can give your three year old homogenized whole cow's milk, but remember that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you begin to use 2%, low fat, or skim milk once your child is 2 years old. So you might make the switch to low fat milk if you haven't already.

Your child's diet should now resemble that of the rest of the families, with 3 meals and 2 snacks each day. You should limit milk and dairy products to about 16 to 24oz each day, and juice to 4 to 6oz each day, and offer a variety of foods to encourage good eating habits later.

To prevent feeding problems, teach your child to feed himself as early as possible, provide him with healthy choices and allow experimentation. Mealtimes should be enjoyable and pleasant and not a source of struggle. Common mistakes are allowing your child to drink too much milk or juice so that he isn't hungry for solids, forcing your child to eat when he isn't hungry, or forcing him to eat foods that he doesn't want.

Your child may now start to refuse to eat some foods, become a very picky eater or even go on binges where he will only want to eat a certain food. An important way that children learn to be independent is through establishing independence about feeding. Even though your child may not be eating as well rounded a diet as you would like, as long as your child is growing normally and has a normal energy level, there is probably little to worry about. Remember that this is a period in his development where he is not growing very fast and doesn't need a lot of calories. Also, most children do not eat a balanced diet each and every day, but over the course of a week or so, their diet will usually be well balanced. You can consider giving your child a daily vitamin if you think he is not eating well, although most children don't need them.

While you should provide three well-balanced meals each day, it is important to keep in mind that most children will only eat one or two full meals each day. If you child has had a good breakfast and lunch, then it is okay that he doesn't want to eat much at dinner.

Other ways to prevent feeding problems are to not use food as a bribe or reward for desired behaviors, avoid punishing your child for not eating well, limit mealtime conversation to positive and pleasant topics, avoid discussing or commenting on your child's poor eating habits while at the table, limit eating and drinking to the table or high chair, and limit snacks to two nutritious snacks each day.

To avoid having to supplement with fluoride, use fluoridated tap water. If you are using bottled or filtered water only, then your child may need fluoride supplements (check with the manufacturer for your water's fluoride levels).

Feeding practices to avoid are continuing to use a bottle, giving large amounts of sweet deserts, soft drinks, fruit-flavored drinks, sugarcoated cereals, chips or candy, as they have little nutritional value. Also avoid giving foods that your child can choke on, such as raw carrots, peanuts, whole grapes, tough meats, popcorn, chewing gum or hard candy.