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Sweetened Beverage Consumption and Risk of Heart Failure

By asmithers | Published November 23, 2015

Heart (British Cardiac Society)

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The authors of this prospective, population-based cohort study assessed the association between consumption of sweetened beverages and risk of heart failure (HF) in men. Over a mean follow-up period of 11.7 years, drinking sweetened beverages was associated with increased risk of HF. Compared with men who did not consume sweetened beverages, men who consumed two or more servings per day had a significantly higher risk.
Consumption of sweetened beverages was associated with increased risk of HF. Additional prospective studies will be required.

Abstract

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OBJECTIVES

To investigate whether sweetened beverage consumption is associated with risk of heart failure (HF) in a large prospective population-based study of men.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A population-based cohort comprising 42 400 men, 45-79 years of age, was followed from 1998 through 2010. Sweetened beverage consumption was assessed by utilising a food frequency questionnaire. Incident events of HF were identified through linkage to the Swedish National Patient Register and the Cause of Death Register. Cox regression analyses were implemented to investigate the association between sweetened beverage consumption and HF. During a mean follow-up time of 11.7 years, a total of 4113 HF events were identified. We observed a positive association between sweetened beverage consumption and risk of HF after adjustment for other risk factors (p for trend <0.001). Men who consumed two or more servings of sweetened beverages per day had a statistically significant higher risk of developing HF (23%, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.35) compared to men who were non-consumers.

CONCLUSIONS

Our finding that sweetened beverage consumption is associated with higher risk of HF could have implications for HF prevention strategies. Additional prospective studies investigating the link between sweetened beverage consumption and HF are therefore needed.

Newborn Probiotic Use Tied to Lower Risk of Type 1 Diabetes

By asmithers | Published November 21, 2015

Adding probiotics to an infant’s feedings in the first month of life may reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes for those genetically predisposed to the disease, according to research published online Nov. 9 in *JAMA Pediatrics*.

THURSDAY, Nov. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Adding probiotics to an infant’s feedings in the first month of life may reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes for those genetically predisposed to the disease, according to research published online Nov. 9 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Researchers looked at an ongoing prospective study from six medical centers — three in the United States and three in Europe. The final study sample included 7,473 children between 4 and 10 years old. Blood samples were taken every three months from age 3 months to 48 months to detect signs of type 1 diabetes. Samples were taken every six months after that. Parents completed questionnaires and food diaries to detail infant feeding and probiotic supplement use from birth to 3 months. Mothers provided information on their diets during pregnancy as well.

The researchers found that probiotic use in the first 27 days was linked to reduced odds of type 1 diabetes by 60 percent for children with the highest risk of developing the disease. These children had the DR3/4 genotype, the researchers said. Children without that genetic makeup didn’t benefit from the early probiotics. And no one seemed to benefit from later probiotic use.

“Early probiotic exposure during the first 27 days is associated with a decreased risk of type 1 diabetes among those who have the highest genetic risk of type 1 diabetes,” lead researcher Ulla Uusitalo, Ph.D., an associate professor in the department of pediatric epidemiology at the University of South Florida in Tampa, told HealthDay. However, Uusitalo noted that because of the study’s design, the researchers “cannot make a conclusion about causality.” But she stressed that because the association was so strong, these findings warrant further study.

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Curcumin Modulates Colonic Microbiota During Colitis and May Prevent Colon Cancer

By asmithers | Published November 20, 2015

Published in Gastroenterology

Journal Scan / Research · November 17, 2015

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In this study, wild-type or Il10 (a model for colorectal cancer associated with colitis) mice that received six injections of azoxymethane (or a negative control) were fed curcumin-supplemented or control food to investigate its effect on the microbiota. The diet with curcumin prolonged survival, lowered colon weight/length ratio, and completely eliminated tumors (at 0.5% curcumin).
The positive impact of curcumin on tumorigenesis was linked to the maintenance of a greater diversity in colonic microbiota.

Abstract

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BACKGROUND

Intestinal microbiota influences the progression of colitis-associated colorectal cancer. With diet being a key determinant of the gut microbial ecology, dietary interventions are an attractive avenue for the prevention of colitis-associated colorectal cancer. Curcumin is the most active constituent of the ground rhizome of the Curcuma longa plant, which has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and antiproliferative properties.

METHODS

Il10 mice on 129/SvEv background were used as a model of colitis-associated colorectal cancer. Starting at 10 weeks of age, wild-type or Il10 mice received 6 weekly intraperitoneal injections of azoxymethane (AOM) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and were started on either a control or a curcumin-supplemented diet. Stools were collected every 4 weeks for microbial community analysis. Mice were killed at 30 weeks of age.

RESULTS

Curcumin-supplemented diet increased survival, decreased colon weight/length ratio, and, at 0.5%, entirely eliminated tumor burden. Although colonic histology indicated improvement with curcumin, no effects of mucosal immune responses have been observed in PBS/Il10 mice and limited effects were seen in AOM/Il10 mice. In wild-type and in Il10 mice, curcumin increased bacterial richness, prevented age-related decrease in alpha diversity, increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillales, and decreased Coriobacterales order. Taxonomic profile of AOM/Il10 mice receiving curcumin was more similar to those of wild-type mice than those fed control diet.

CONCLUSIONS

In AOM/Il10 model, curcumin reduced or eliminated colonic tumor burden with limited effects on mucosal immune responses. The beneficial effect of curcumin on tumorigenesis was associated with the maintenance of a more diverse colonic microbial ecology.

Noon Best Time to Get Vitamin D From Sun for Minimal Cancer Risk

By asmithers | Published November 19, 2015

Mantas Grigalavicius MSc^1,*,
Johan Moan PhD^1,2,
Arne Dahlback PhD² and
Asta Juzeniene PhD¹

Article first published online: 6 NOV 2015

DOI: 10.1111/ijd.13065

Issue

International Journal of Dermatology

Early View (Online Version of Record published before inclusion in an issue)

Additional Information(Show All)

How to Cite Author Information Publication History Funding Information

Funding: This work was supported by the Southeast Norway Regional Health Authority, the Norwegian Cancer Society and Oslo University Hospital.
Conflicts of interest: None.

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Abstract

Background

Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation varies with latitude, time of day, and season. Both spectral UV composition and ambient UV dose lead to different health outcomes at different latitudes. Finding the optimal time for sun exposure, whereby the positive effects of UV exposure (vitamin D) are facilitated and the negative effects (skin cancer, photoimmunosuppression) avoided are the most important consideration in modern skin cancer prevention programs.

Objectives

This paper focuses on the latitude dependency of UVB, UVA, vitamin D production, and skin cancer risk in Caucasians.

Methods

Biologically effective UVB (280–315 nm) and UVA (315–400 nm) doses were calculated using radiative transfer models with appropriate climatologic data for selected locations. Incidences of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and cutaneous melanoma (CM) were retrieved from cancer registries and published articles.

Results

Annual doses of UVA radiation decrease much less with increasing latitude than annual doses of UVB. Incidences of CM also decrease less steeply with increasing latitude than incidences of SCC. As SCC is caused mainly by UVB, these observations support the assumption that UVA plays an important role in the development of CM. The variations in UVA (relevant to CM) and UVB (relevant to vitamin D production) over 1 day differ: the UVB : UVA ratio is maximal at noon.

Conclusions

The best way to obtain a given dose of vitamin D with minimal carcinogenic risk is through a non-burning exposure in the middle of the day, rather than in the afternoon or morning.

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Healthy Diets Modulate Gut Microbes and Improve Insulin Sensitivity in the Obese

By asmithers | Published November 16, 2015

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

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In this randomized dietary study, fecal bacterial composition was evaluated 20 obese males with coronary heart disease. A Mediterranean diet (Med diet) was associated with a decrease in Prevotellaand decrease in Roseburia and Oscillospira genera. A low-fat, high–complex carbohydrates diet (LFHCC diet) was associated with an increase in Prevotella and decrease in Roseburia genera.
The authors conclude that the long-term consumption of Med and LFHCC diets may provide protection against the development of type 2 diabetes through changes in the gut microbiota.

Abstract

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CONTEXT

Gut microbiota, which acts collectively as a fully-integrated organ in the host metabolism, can be shaped by long-term dietary interventions following a specific diet.

OBJECTIVE

To study the changes in microbiota after one year’s consumption of a Mediterranean diet (Med diet) or a low-fat, high-complex carbohydrates diet (LFHCC diet) in an obese population.

DESIGN

Participant swere randomized to receive Med diet (35% fat, 22% monounsaturated) and LFHCC diet (28% fat, 12% monounsaturated).

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

The study was conducted in 20 obese patients (men) within the CORDIOPREV study, an ongoing prospective, randomized, opened, controlled trial in patients with coronary heart disease.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

We evaluated the bacterial composition and its relationship with the whole fecal and plasma metabolome.

RESULTS

The LFHCC diet increased Prevotella and decreased the Roseburia genera while the Med diet decreased Prevotella and increased the Roseburia and Oscillospira genera (P=0.028, 0.002, and 0.016, respectively). The abundance of Parabacteroides distasonis (P=0.025) and Faecalibactrium prausnitzii (P=0.020) increased after the long-term consumption of the Med diet and LFHCC diet, respectively. The changes in the abundance of 7 out of 572 metabolites found in feces, including mainly aminoacids, peptides and the sphingolipid metabolism, could be linked to the changes in the gut microbiota.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that a long-term consumption of the Med and LFHCC diets, exert a protective effect on the development of type 2 diabetes by different specific changes in the gut microbiota, increasing the abundance of the Roseburia genus and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, respectively.

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Integral Medicine | Alexander Smithers M.D., A.P.

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In Oct of 2013 I was diagnosed with stage 4 Cholangiocarcinoma Malignant Neoplasm Cancer of the Bile Ducts of the Liver. In addition I had a tumor on the left lobe of the liver that ruptured and allowed cancer cells to escape and cake on the majority of my abdominal area. The issues, pain and effects are too numerous to mention. After 9 months of Chemo Therapy Treatments I was left with major issues with neuropathy in both my feet
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Dr. Smithers has been taking care of my knees for a few years now. My experience with him has been consistently outstanding. His care has allowed me to avoid knee replacement surgery. There was a point when I had so much pain that I was not able to spend more than 15 minutes on my feet.. Because of his treatments and direction I have gotten my life back, including 20 mile bike rides and trips to the Disney parks with
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I was told i needed surgery and that i should file for social security disability… I thought my life was over . Thanks to Dr Smithers i didn’t have to do either.. I will be eternally grateful… I’m back at work and looking forward to a bright future..
Alex Smithers is not only smart and so helpful with my husband and his knee problems but he helped me with my stomach issues. I would go to him before I tried any other form of medicine. Thank you Alex!!
I had my second appointment with Dr. Alex Smithers today. I was treated for painful arthritic hip, back, and neck. After treatments I felt immediate results. I was able to go shopping with my daughter with no pain which wouldn’t have been possible before without considerable pain. I am very thankful to my daughter who found Dr. Alex and this office. I am also very thankful to Dr. Alex. I have flown twice from Pa. To see him and will
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Dr. Smithers has been taking care of my knees for a few years now. My experience with him has been consistently outstanding. His care has allowed me to avoid knee replacement surgery. There was a point when I had so much pain that I was not able to spend more than 15 minutes on my feet.. Because of his treatments and direction I have gotten my life back, including 20 mile bike rides and trips to the Disney parks with
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Dear Dr. Smithers,

I just wanted to thank you for treating my trigeminal neuralgia pain.

In May of 2012 I hit my head on a concrete ledge resulting in severe head trauma with unusual and very painful symptoms that followed—throbbing, knife stabbing, severe tension in and around my head, constant clicking noise, and my soft palate in continual motion. I was first diagnosed with TMJ for which I was given an appliance to align my jaw. Which did not take away the severe pain
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Doctor Alex has been treating me for severe gut issues. I was tired of going to doctors that didn’t listen to me and would just prescribe a pill not ever trying to get to the real issues I was having. Dr. Alex has listened and treated me holistically and I am feeling great!! Thank you for everything Dr. Alex.