“Our studies confirm our hypothesis that Wild Blueberry-enriched diets significantly diminish arterial constriction in animal models by relaxing blood vessels, which may have implications on blood pressure regulation in both animal models with normal blood pressure and ones with high blood pressure. We also discovered that Wild Blueberries operate differently in the above animal models, but the end result is to aid in maintenance of a functional endothelium which may help prevent vascular complications associated with hypertension,” said Dr. Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, Ph.D., Professor of Clinical Nutrition and lead researcher from the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Maine, Orono.

According to Dr. Klimis-Zacas, controlling oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the vascular environment is key to cardiovascular health. “We continue to focus our research on the role of diet in disease prevention. Our work with animals fed a diet of whole fruit, like Wild Blueberries, takes research one-step further beyond an examination of fruit extracts and their impact on cell cultures. If we can control oxidative stress and inflammation through diet, we could see a protective cardiovascular benefit. Recently, we have also come to appreciate that the role of Wild Blueberry bioactive compounds and their metabolites is not only accomplished through their antioxidant properties but also through their ability to act as regulators of signal transduction pathways and may also affect gene expression.”

Wild Blueberries and Antioxidants

According to Susan Davis, MS, RD, Nutrition Advisor to the Wild Blueberry Association of North America, Dr. Klimis-Zacas’ research contributes to a growing body of evidence that Wild Blueberries, as part of a well-balanced diet, have the potential to reduce chronic disease risk and promote healthy aging. “Studies like these make it clear that food truly can be medicine and that healthy eating is critical to a long and healthy life. Something as simple as having one cup of fruits and vegetables at every meal will pay large dividends in health,” said Davis. She noted that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is key, but because USDA research findings using the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) measure ranked Wild Blueberries highest in antioxidant capacity per serving, she recommends eating Wild Blueberries every day. The study showed that a serving of Wild Blueberries had more antioxidant capacity than a serving of cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, apples, and even cultivated blueberries. (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2004; 52:4026-4037)

Antioxidants are important in terms of their ability to protect against oxidative cell damage that can lead to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and heart disease – conditions also linked with chronic inflammation. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of blue-purple foods like Wild Blueberries may have the potential to help prevent these diseases.

Wild Blueberry Association of North America

The Wild Blueberry Association of North America is a trade association of growers and processors of Wild Blueberries from Mine and Canada, dedicated to bringing the Wild Blueberry health story and unique Wild Advantages to consumers and the trade worldwide. To learn more about Wild Blueberries visit wildblueberries.com.

In addition to wasting billions of consumers’ dollars each year, health scams can lead patients to delay proper treatment and cause serious—and even fatal—injuries.

Since the 1990s, peddlers of fraudulent “health” products have used the Internet as a primary tool to hawk their wares. This has kept the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agencies busier than ever in protecting the public from health fraud.

Since June 2008, FDA has warned consumers not to use bogus cancer-treatment products marketed online by 28 U.S. companies. These products include tablets, teas, tonics, salves, and creams sold under more than 180 different brand names.

And since December 2008, FDA has warned about more than 70 weight loss products containing unapproved pharmaceutical ingredients and chemicals not listed on the labels. Some of these ingredients present serious health risks when taken in dosages recommended on the product label.

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Common Types of Health Fraud

Cancer fraud: Among the many long-running cancer scams is the Hoxsey Cancer Treatment, an herbal regimen that has no proven benefit. Another scam involves products called black salves. These are offered with the false promise of drawing cancer out from the skin, but they are potentially corrosive to tissues.

Cancer requires individualized treatment by a specialized physician. No single device, remedy, or treatment can treat all types of cancer.

Patients looking to try an experimental cancer treatment should enroll in a legitimate clinical study. For more information, visit the National Cancer Institute Clinical Trials Web site www.cancer.gov/CLINICALTRIALS.

HIV/AIDS fraud: There are legitimate treatments that can help people with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). While early treatment of HIV can delay progression to AIDS, there is currently no cure for the disease.

Relying on unproven products and treatments can be dangerous and cause delays in seeking legitimate medical treatments that have been proven in clinical trials to improve quality of life.

Safe, reliable testing to determine whether you have HIV can be done by a medical professional.

To date, there is one FDA-approved testing system that allows individuals to test themselves at home. It is an HIV collection system that tests only for HIV-1, which is the cause of the majority of the world’s HIV infections.

The test, sold either as The Home Access HIV-1 Test System or The Home Access Express HIV-1 Test System, allows blood samples to be sent to a laboratory for testing with an FDA approved HIV-1 test.

Arthritis fraud: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission says consumers spend about $2 billion annually on unproven arthritis remedies that are not backed by adequate science.

For current, accurate information on arthritis treatments and alternative therapies, visit the Arthritis Foundation Web site at www.arthritis.org.

Fraudulent “diagnostic” tests: Doctors often use in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests—in tandem with a physical examination and a medical history—to get a picture of a patient’s overall health.

These tests involve blood, urine, or other specimen samples taken from the body. They help diagnose or measure many conditions, including pregnancy, hepatitis, fertility, HIV, cholesterol, and blood sugar.

It’s rare that the use of only one of these tests can provide a meaningful diagnosis. You can buy IVD tests in stores, through the mail, or online. Many of these tests are regulated by FDA and sold legally. However, many others are marketed illegally and do not meet FDA’s regulatory requirements. These tests may not work or may be harmful.

To find out whether FDA has cleared or approved an IVD test for a particular purpose, call FDA at (888) 463-6332, or your local FDA district office www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html.

Bogus dietary supplements: The array of dietary supplements—including vitamins and minerals, amino acids, enzymes, herbs, animal extracts and others—has grown tremendously.

Although the benefits of some of these have been documented, the advantages of others are unproven. For example, claims that a supplement allows you to eat all you want and lose weight effortlessly are false.

Claims to treat diseases cause products to be considered drugs. Firms wanting to make such claims legally must follow FDA’s premarket New Drug Approval process to show that the products are safe and effective.

Weight loss fraud: Since 2003, FDA has worked with national and international partners to take hundreds of compliance actions against companies pushing bogus and misleading weight loss schemes.

FDA has recently enhanced efforts to stop sales and importation of—and to warn consumers about—weight loss products that contain dangerous prescription drug ingredients that are not listed on the label.

Sexual enhancement product fraud: FDA has warned consumers about numerous illegal drugs promoted and sold online for treating erectile dysfunction and for enhancing sexual performance.

Although they are marketed as “dietary supplements,” these products are really illegal drugs that contain potentially harmful ingredients that are not listed on the label.

Diabetes fraud: FDA has taken numerous compliance actions against sales of fraudulent diabetes “treatments” promoted with bogus claims such as

• “drop your blood sugar 50 points in 30 days”
• “eliminate insulin resistance”
• “prevent the development of type 2 diabetes”
• “reduce or eliminate the need for diabetes drugs or insulin”

Influenza (flu) scams: Federal agencies have come across contaminated, counterfeit, and subpotent influenza products.

FDA, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, has intercepted products claimed to be generic versions of the influenza drug Tamiflu, but which actually contained vitamin C and other substances not shown to be effective in treating or preventing influenza.

Don’t Be a Victim

It’s ultimately up to the buyer to beware of potential health fraud. Know of the potential for health fraud and learn about the common techniques and gimmicks that fraudulent marketers use to gain your attention and trust.

For instance, testimonials from people who say they have used the product may sound convincing, but these can easily be made up. These “testimonials” are not a substitute for scientific proof.

Also, never diagnose or treat yourself with questionable products. Always check with your health care professional before using new medical products.

Be wary of these red flags:

• claims that a product is a quick, effective cure-all or a diagnostic tool for a wide variety of ailments
• suggestions that a product can treat or cure diseases
• promotions using words such as “scientific breakthrough,” “miraculous cure,” “secret ingredient,” and “ancient remedy”
• text with impressive-sounding terms such as: “hunger stimulation point” and “thermogenesis” for a weight loss product
• undocumented case histories by consumers or doctors claiming amazing results
• limited availability and advance payment requirements
• promises of no-risk, money-back guarantees
• promises of an “easy” fix
• claims that the product is “natural” or “non-toxic” (which doesn’t necessarily mean safe)

Don’t be fooled by professional-looking Web sites. Avoid Web sites that fail to list the company’s name, physical address, phone number, or other contact information. For more tips for online buying, visit www.fda.gov/buyonlineguide/.

Report Problems

If you find a person or company that you think is illegally selling human drugs, animal drugs, medical devices, biological products, foods, dietary supplements, or cosmetics, report it to FDA.

To report problems with FDA-regulated products, visit www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html.

To report unlawful sales of medical products on the Internet, visit www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/buyonlineform.htm.

This article appears on FDA’s Consumer Health Information Web page (www.fda.gov/consumer), which features the latest updates on FDA-regulated products. Sign up for free e-mail subscriptions atwww.fda.gov/consumer/consumerenews.html.

Screenings for hearing, vision, blood pressure and bone density will be available from 8:30-11:30am. Representatives will also be available to provide information on advance directives, safe sleep guidelines for grandbabies, arthritis, AARP, Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, SilverSneakers and behavioral health issues.

Free presentations will also be provided on two specific health topics. The first presentation “Brain Fitness” will be presented by Julie Bryson of Aurora Health Care and begins at 9:30am. Julie Bryson will discuss fun exercise for the brain. She will show how a healthy brain can help stay mentally sharp, tackle new challenges, as well as stave off some of the natural effects of aging.

Dr.Robert Amiot of Aspen Orthopedic & Rehabilitation Specialists will discuss “Medical Management of Arthritis and Lower Leg Pain” beginning at 11:00am. He will also provide foot screenings following the presentation.

This is free and no registration is required for the event. Refreshments will be available throughout the morning. The Southwest YMCA Senior Health and Fitness event was made possible by a grant from NcNeil Consumer Healthcare-Makers of Tylenol.

For more information contact the Southwest YMCA at 414-546-9622 or visit our website at www.ymcamke.org. The Southwest YMCA is located at 11311 W. Howard Ave. in Greenfield.

Potomac, MD (PRWEB) — The Healthy Living Network, a division of Healthy Directions, LLC, is proud to announce the launch of searchvitaminsupplements.com, a new informational Web site devoted to all aspects of nutritional supplements, including vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, enzymes, and more.

Visitors to searchvitaminsupplements.com can expect to find original articles, blogs, studies, forums, encyclopedias, and more on a variety of topics and concerns, including nutrient categories such as antioxidants, vitamins, herbs, and enzymes, as well as a wide variety of health conditions and the specific nutrient solutions to those health concerns. Searchvitaminsupplements.com will also offer weekly eLetters so consumers can have continuous access to breaking news and up-to-date information.

According to Ed Hauck, President of Healthy Directions, “In an ideal world, your daily intake of food would meet all your nutritional needs, and supplements would not be necessary. However, due to nutrient-deplete soils, pesticide and herbicide use, and overly processed and fast food-filled diets of many Americans, supplementation is becoming more and more critical. Worse yet,

here is so much misinformation out there, most people don’t even know where to start.”

“That’s why we created searchvitaminsupplements.com,” explains Hauck. “All information and advice found on searchvitaminsupplements.com has been carefully screened and selected to provide the most current, ground-breaking, well-researched, and highly effective recommendations for all your supplementation and general health needs.”

While the majority of the experts and authorities on the site are doctors, the material on the Web site is intended to provide timely and accurate medical news and education, not personal medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

For more information about this exciting new resource for supplementation, common dosages, and natural health information, visit Searchvitaminsupplements.com.

About Healthy Directions, LLC

Healthy Directions, LLC, is the recognized leader in providing authoritative health and wellness solutions to consumers. Healthy Directions’ subsidiary, Doctors’ Preferred, LLC, is a leading vitamin and nutritional supplement business that develops and sells proprietary, branded nutritional supplements based upon the research of the Healthy Directions health experts, marketed primarily through direct mail. For more information on Healthy Directions, please visit Healthydirections.com

Light, long-term alcohol consumption of all types of beverages, whether wine, spirits or beer, increased life by 2.5 years among men compared with abstention, the researchers found. By “light,” they meant up to 20 grams, or about 0.7 ounces a day.

While numerous other studies have found similar benefits, study author Martinette Streppel, of the division of human nutrition at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, said 40 years of follow-up is noteworthy for many reasons.

“The main strength of our study was the collection of detailed information on the consumption of different alcohol beverages at each of seven measurement rounds,” Streppel said.

The long-term, regular follow-up, Streppel added, enabled the researchers to study the effect of long-term alcohol intake on mortality.

The study is published online in April in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

The Dutch researchers evaluated 1,373 men, all part of the Zutphen Study, started in 1960 and named for an industrial town in the Netherlands. The researchers followed them from 1960 to 2000, tracking weight, diet, cigarette smoking, the diagnosis of serious illness and other data, along with their drinking habits.

Over the follow-up period, 1,130 of the men died, half from cardiovascular disease.

The proportion of men who drank alcohol nearly doubled from 45 percent of the men in 1960 to 86 percent in 2000. Those drinking wine rose even more dramatically — from just 2 percent to 44 percent.

The findings in more detail:

• All long-term light alcohol drinking boosted life expectancy by about 2.5 years in comparison to abstaners. Drinking more than 0.7 ounces a day extended life expectancy by nearly two years compared with nondrinkers.
• Wine drinkers who averaged just 0.7 ounces a day had a 2.5 year-longer life expectancy at age 50 compared to those who drank beer or spirits. And their life expectancy was nearly five years longer than nondrinkers.
• Drinking moderately was linked with lower death risk, and drinking wine was strongly linked with a lower risk of dying from heart disease, stroke or other causes.

Streppel couldn’t say if the findings apply to women, but suspects the polyphenolic compounds found in wine, especially red wine, produce the heart-healthy effects.

The study adds to the literature of the health benefits of alcohol, but has both strengths and weaknesses, said Dr. Arthur Klatsky, a long-time investigator on the health benefits of alcohol.

“Once again, it shows that people who drink [moderately] do a lot better than people who don’t in terms of survival,” he said.

However, as with other research, Klatsky wondered if it’s the pattern of drinking or something related to the wine drinking — such as wine drinkers being more likely to exercise or eat a healthy diet — that is the real link.

In the new Dutch study, he says, alcohol from spirits contributes the most to the total alcohol intake, more than wine or beer.

“It’s a little hard to think that a little bit of wine is what is responsible for extending their life,” Klatsky said.

The finding, like similar ones, applies more to middle-aged people than younger ones, he said. “People over 50 are the ones most likely to have health benefits from light drinking anyways.”

Much more important in reducing heart disease risk, he said, is not smoking, exercising regularly, eating healthfully and maintaining a healthy weight.

“After a bad night’s sleep, people ate 550 calories (22 per cent) more than normal,” said the findings of a study by the European Centre of Taste Science in Dijon in central France, presented at the gathering.

This represented about one large hamburger.

Feelings of hunger were higher among a test group who slept four hours the previous night than among those who slept eight hours, stated an extract of the findings.

“These results indicate that sleep deprivation increases food intake and . . . could be a factor promoting obesity,” it added.

A separate study conducted by researchers at the Netherlands’ Maastricht University found that children who got less sleep during puberty than when they were younger also gained more weight compared to children whose sleep patterns did not change.

The World Health Organization estimates that in 2005, about 1.6 billion adults were overweight, of which at least 400 million were obese.

The conference was organized by the European Association for the Study of Obesity.

Reclast injection beat daily pill at restoring bone for patients with asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, study found

FRIDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) — Patients with rheumatoid arthritis or asthma often need to take a bone-strengthening drug to counter the debilitating effects of their steroid medications.

Now, a new study finds that a once-yearly injection of a bisphosphonate bone-building drug, Reclast, may work better than a once-daily bisphosphonate pill for these patients.

Specifically, Reclast (zoledronic acid) was found to hold off and/or reverse bone loss among patients taking a glucocorticoid medication (including prednisolone or prednisone) for one of several inflammatory and immune-related diseases, including asthma, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. And it did so more effectively than a daily dose of an oral bisphosphonate, Actonel (risedronate). Actonel is also available as a once-weekly and once-monthly pill.

The research team also found that both drugs appeared successful in lowering the risk of bone fracture that can result from glucocorticoid use.

The new study was funded by Novartis, which makes Reclast to help fight osteoporosis-linked bone loss in postmenopausal women. Novartis also makes another form of zoledronic acid, Zometa, for use by cancer patients.

“The important point is that people who take glucocorticoid steroids for asthma or arthritis are all in danger of getting osteoporosis or fractures as a consequence,” said study lead author Dr. David M. Reid, professor of rheumatology and head of the division of applied medicine at University of Aberdeen, Scotland. “But now, we have found that there is a simple way of preventing that almost absolutely by applying a single infusion once a year of this safe and effective drug.”

Reid and his colleagues reported their findings in the April 11 issue of The Lancet.

While bisphosphonate drugs can streng