The surprising cause of cataracts Are you struggling to see clearly because of cataracts? If so, researchers recently discovered a surprising cause. And it’s likely your doctor is involved. Researchers from Nottingham University found statin users are up to eight times more likely to have cataracts than those who don’t use the drugs. And this was no small study. The researchers in this study, which appeared in the British Medical Journal, looked at the records of over two million patients. Then they analyzed their health over a six-year period (from 2002 to 2008). They wanted to determine risk based on gender, ethnicity, and other medical conditions.

Continue Reading...

Can a mushroom stop dementia? If you’re over the age of 65, you have a 10% chance of getting Alzheimer’s disease. If you’re over 85, your risk goes up to 50%. And that’s just Alzheimer’s disease. These numbers don’t include other forms of dementia. As a result, it’s vital you protect your brain now. And recent research suggests one particular mushroom can help you do just that. Researchers at a rehabilitative hospital in Gunma, Japan studied the effects of Lion’s Mane mushroom on 100 patients. They had 50 patients take the mushroom, while 50 remained in a control group. The researchers were looking at how Lion’s Mane can treat various illnesses, so not all of these participants had dementia. They had Parkinson’s disease, diabetic neuropathy, and spinal cord injuries, to name a few.

Continue Reading...

What the media isn’t telling you about potassium iodide One of the most impressive displays of human compassion and civility came after Japan’s earthquake and tsunami. The Japanese people showed incredible respect for life and property in their response to the terrible natural disaster. And their civility continues in the aftermath, as nuclear fallout threatens their lives. Even the media has marveled at their response. Unfortunately, the media isn’t telling you everything you need to know about radiation. Don’t get me wrong. The media has done a fine job of reporting what’s going on in Japan. They’ve told how radiation threatens the health of these distinguished people. And it’s even showed how that radiation threatens this country (more on that in a moment). But the media has done little to help people protect themselves from the radiation.

Continue Reading...

Can’t sleep at night? It might be a mineral deficiency If you’re over the age of 60 and taking supplements to help you sleep, it’s possible you’re missing one extremely important nutrient. In fact, one study suggests a deficiency in one nutrient — a very common mineral — could be the reason you’re not sleeping well. The study followed 12 healthy people (six men and six women) who were between the ages of 60 and 80. They divided the group into two groups and gave each group magnesium or a placebo for 20 days. They stopped the treatment for two weeks and then repeated the 20-day treatment period. They gave the magnesium and placebo in a tiered fashion. For the first three days of each 20-day period, they gave the doses in the morning only. During the next three days, they gave the doses in the morning and at noon. And, for the final 14 days, they gave them three doses a day.

Continue Reading...

You probably already know that cholesterol really isn’t the boogeyman everyone makes it out to be. In fact, your body requires cholesterol to stay healthy. That’s why your liver and your brain produce it. Problems occur, though, when this healthy cholesterol becomes damaged. That’s when cholesterol starts to wreak havoc on your vascular system. Well, the British think they have a solution. Not too long ago, a division of Nestle launched a product in Great Britain called Ateronon. The manufacturers claim that Ateronon “is the first formula proven to halt the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, recognized as the key process of atherosclerotic build-up.”

Continue Reading...