Lofty Matters

Turn the spotlights here:

Researchers have recently discovered two proteins called Mahjong and Lgl that may help to identify how the body’s own cells fight back against cancer cells.

Healthy cells and cancerous cells compete with each other for survival. If healthy cells gain the advantage and surround cancer cells, the cancer cells will die. If the cancerous cells break free, they can continue to divide and grow undisturbed.

Lgl and Mahjong proteins are important in these cells’ competitiveness, influencing which cells will die.

This discovery could lead to new kinds of treatments for tumors, making up more than 80 percent of all cancers.

People around my house will love this one…we are big cheese eaters. Not that this has anything to do with clinicallix, but oh, well.

Eating cheese boosts the elderly’s immune system! Probiotic cheese can improve age-related deterioration of the immune system.

This deterioration often leaves elderly people more vulnerable to infection and disease. It makes it harder for the body to kill cancerous cells and also reduces the immune response to vaccinations and infections. In fact, infectious diseases, chronic inflammation disorders and cancer are common markers of immunosenescene.

Eating probiotic bacteria enhances the immune response through other products and it is now evident that cheese can be a carrier of the same bacteria.

I was thinking about choices the other day. Actually, my 13-year-old daughter spurred this train of thought as I listened to her bemoan her current struggle with acne. No, her acne is not horribly serious…at least nothing out of the ordinary…but it is a struggle for her.

And then…on the other end of the spectrum is me struggling with the appearances of those little lines and wrinkles.

Which leads me back to my original thoughts about choices. Which would I rather…acne or wrinkles? Hmmmmmmmm…I think I’ll take the wisdom that comes with the wrinkles!

Did you take your vitamins today? No? Maybe they weren’t flashy enough…

Based on a new study, fruit that is presented to kids in a visually appealing way will entice them to eat twice as much than if it was presented in an ordinary manner.

Researchers don’t know why kids prefer to eat more visually attractive fruit because the kids knew both presentations would taste the same. Bottom line, though…Parents should take advantage of this knowledge and offer children fruit and vegetables that are presented in a visually appealing way.

Have you heard of this? No, not the latest apidexin scam…I’m talking about Kombucha!

Kombucha is a new concoction made of live bacteria and yeast and it’s all the rage among the health-seeking crowd.

Sometimes called “mushroom tea,” but there are no real mushrooms in it. This is the latest tonic making claims of a wide array of health benefits, from improving digestion and immunity to lowering cholesterol and fighting cancer. Some say it will even grow hair!

My Tip: Drink it because you like it, not because you think it’s a magic bullet that will cure all your ails.

Anyone who wants to get rid of under-eye wrinkles…click here! Did you click? No? Still thinking about it? Me too…this goes along with my previous post about aging gracefully. Now, staying moving…that’s imperative. You MUST do that. But…what about those little bags and crow’s feet and laugh lines that begin to deepen over the years until you cannot ignore them anymore? Good question…I haven’t quite decided on that myself yet.

I don’t really have an opinion about whether 7-dfbx is the best diet supplement out there. My concern, instead, lies with learning how to grow old gracefully.

I haven’t really decided yet whether I intend to fight it at every pass or just give in now before it gets too hard.

Experts are now saying that old age has to be filled with disease and disability. The elderly can empower themselves to take action and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases and avoid injuries.

It’s all about making choices and making your mind up,  I believe. If you want to stay healthy and fit, stay moving! Don’t let inactivity rob you of your energy and ability to do the things you love to do.

We actually have some exposed asbestos in our unfinished basement. How crazy is that?!? A few years ago, when my husband was tackling a huge plumbing project in the basement, he was forced to uncover some asbestos in the process of his work. He used a good ventilation mask as he worked, but in the back of my mind, I cannot help but think that at some point we are going to need a good mesothelioma lawyer. Not that it would do us any good here in our own home…but that cancer is scary!

Thinking beyond acnepril and contemplating silk.

A brain implant containing silk can melt onto the brain’s surface and provide a connection for recording signals. A silk device may help people with epilepsy, spinal cord injuries and artificial limbs.

The silk is compatible with the brain and water-soluble. It dissolves into the brain and leaves the electrodes covering its contours. These implants may be able to maximize the contact between electrodes and brain tissue. A silk electrode could detect a seizure as it starts and create counteractive pulses. Brain signals could be sent to prosthetics for people with spinal cord injuries.

Here is one of the easiest ways a mother-to-be can safeguard her own health and improve her chances of a healthy baby: prenatal vitamins. Yep…just one capsule once a day and you can make sure you get enough:

* Folic acid
* Iron
* Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E
* Zinc
* Biotin
* Phosphorus
* Copper
* Selenium
* Iodine

Once you begin to navigate the complicated issue of pregnancy nutrition, you quickly learn that you can greatly simplify your goal of nutrition by taking a simple prenatal vitamin.