I love cheese. In fact, the highlight of the week was catching an episode of Food Jammers about making cheese. Have I tried making it myself?

Yes. Well, not the kind with bacteria  – just an unripened one so far. Boiling whole milk + lemon juice = paneer, the soft Indian cheese that is often found in breaded and fried form (as in paneer pakoras, one of the most sinfully delicious things on the planet). There are many great types of fried cheese, like Haloumi, which can be BBQ’d and will squeak on your teeth as you chomp into it. One can also bread and bake Camembert with a bit of homemade cranberry sauce on top. In a salad with nectarines, I like fresh boconncini, and for nibbling, a bit of Applewood Smoked Cheddar.

But I digress. And I drool.

I’m supposed to be making this at least partly related to health. Because I love cheese and butter and milk and yogurt and well, anything dairy, I’ve always thought dairy farming might be a good backup career if medicine doesn’t work out.

Unfortunately, cheese is pretty high in cholesterol. It is the top source of saturated fat in America (and, probably all of North America). So, if I continue to eat it at the rate I do, my arteries had better watch out! (I also like bacon. Damn.)

For the first time, I saw someone before my eyes having a jammer. Oh, people have come in with heart attacks on my ER shifts before, or had a bit of chest pain on the ward that turned out to be significant, or came to our Internal Med or ICU service after the ER had treated their heart attack. But! This was a chest clutching, sweaty, pale, ST-elevation on the monitor just-like-on-TV case. The decision to TNK-TPA (clot-bust) was easy. Wisely, the ER doc undertreated the pain because, the moment the pain resolved, the doc would know the intervention had worked. Unfortunately, rather than improve, the pain spiked. That was one angry heart. Morphine, a call to the ambulance to go lights and sirens to the big city for cardiac catheterization, and the patient was outta there. It did not look good. The biggest fear in everyone’s mind is dysrrythmia and death; we managed to avoid that but I don’t know how it turned out. I sure hope the cardio gods did their magic tricks and made the clots disappear.

Almost every family has some heart and stoke history in it, so what can you do to lower your chances? When I looked around the ICU, the majority of the still, tubed-and-lined creatures had a history of smoking, alcohol, and/or obesity. It’s hard to think of a sedated ICU patient as a person sometimes, with the knowledge that only the machines are keeping them alive. Being in such a state is an experience best avoided, for you and your family, if at all possible.

A few things are in your control and, whilst following healthy living is not 100% protective, it is your best shot at being and staying well. Plus, you won’t be kicking yourself on your death-bed, wishing you had treated your body a little better. I once overheard “Instead of becoming a vegetable, eat a vegetable.”

So, avoid angry-heart-pain (and other illness). Remember: you only get one body and you – not your doctor – is in charge of how well it runs and how long it lasts. Now I just have to follow my own advice.

As a grade-6-school essay would say: “In conclusion, Jessica should eat less cheese.”

There are so many benefits for getting the proper amounts of Omega-3′s in your diet that it’s almost impossible to hear from a health expert anymore without them saying something about them. Considering that we are all living longer, taking care of our bodies has become a national obsession, with good reason! There are now people living very active lives well into their 90′s, and since we know that quality of life is a huge factor in determining how long we live, we have to pay special attention to how we are treating ourselves, and our children.

Beginning with pregnancy The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that Omega–3′s are very important to nourish the developing brain of the baby and to the mental health of the mother. Omega-3′s are not called an essential oil for nothing! The International Journal of Clinical Practice tells us that much research (including research from Harvard) has linked low levels of Omega–3′s in the body with mood disorders. Omega–3′s are believed to keep the brain’s pattern of thoughts, reactions, and reflexes running cohesively and efficiently.

As we age, we need to pay more attnetion to our bodies and how the aging process effects them. Preliminary research at the University of California, Los Angeles suggests that Omega–3′s may help maintain healthy breast tissue. A diet high in Omega–3 content, may enhance and balance hormones. This may help reduce hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause and help maintain a positive mental outlook.

Given today’s typical dietary habits, finding additional sources of Omega–3′s is more important than ever. Don’t ever short change yourself on this essential fatty acid.

If you’re looking for a Omega 3 source that has the absolute highest bioavailability of Omega-3 fatty acids on the planet you owe it to yourself to check out Mila™. The Hippocrates Health Institute along with Dr. Bob Arnot have both just stated in the last couple months that Mila is by far the best source of Omega 3′s available in the world today. You can find more information here on Mila™.

Dr Jonathan Emberson has found that statins are not linked to the risk of cancer, in an analysis of 25 trials covering over 166,000 people.

The rate of getting cancer, the rate of deaths from cancer, high and low doses of statins, types of cancer and sub-groups of people were all found to be the same in control groups on placebos. Length of using statins was not linked to risk of cancer, at least up to the five year limit of the trials.

The results were produced at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Stockholm.

Erectile dysfunction is a sexual dysfunction because of which male does not achieve sufficient erection or achieve weak or lazy erection even after arousal and under appropriate circumstances. Sometimes initially male achieve sufficient erection but lose it during the lovemaking act very soon before satisfactory duration.

Problem of erectile dysfunction is very common and almost every male face such situation once in his lifetime but if this situation occurs frequently and continues for more than two weeks than it is a clear symptom of erectile dysfunction. Some males do not achieve erection when they are prompted for lovemaking act by their partner but do get hard enough stiffness when they are asleep or stimulated by other means, this also signifies erectile dysfunction due to psychological reasons like male partner is stressed or tired or strained relationship with the partner.

Erection in male take place by a hydraulic effect as blood enters and is absorbed by sponge-like tissues present in the reproductive organ. The duration to which this blood is held in these tissues the organ remains erect and after ejaculation the blood starts receding to cause loss of erection. This process occurs due to series of complex activities those take place in nervous, vascular and hormonal system of male body. Any hindrance in any of those systems can create problems with erection which we know as erectile dysfunction.

There are many psychological and physical reasons those may cause this problem. Diseases like epilepsy, Parkinson disease, Alzheimer, multiple sclerosis, thickening of skin, cardio-vascular problems, diabetes mellitus, heart diseases, liver cirrhosis and kidney failure are few of them which may cause erectile dysfunction. Prostrate cancer and surgery of prostrate gland may also initiate this problem along with certain medicine used for treating high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression and anxiety.

Read complete article by Dr Andrew Napier @ http://www.ayurhelp.com/Links/Onlinemedicines5.htm

Chia seed (Salvia hispanica) is the richest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids known and contains natural antioxidants. The plant is a member of the mint family and originated in southern Mexico and Guatemala. There are two seed colors, white and black.

Chia seed was virtually lost for five centuries after the Spanish conquest (due to both religious and agronomic reasons). This changed in the 1990’s as part of an effort lead by the University of Arizona to establish new crops in northwestern Argentina. This project led to successful commercialization of chia as a crop, making it more widely available today. Don’t be fooled into thinking other chia on the market is like this one though. They’re not even close.

John Chisholm is co-owner of a small company that makes Good-Gums a toothpaste-replacement that supports the bodys ability to heal its gums.

When WAPF Chapter Leaders started carrying Good-Gums John started learning and practicing Weston A. Price dietary principles as lucidly explained by Kevin Brown of Liberation Wellness

Already a regular exerciser and feeling pretty healthy John didn’t anticipate how well his body would further respond to unprocessed full-fat pasture-raised foods.

Kevin Brown is President of Liberation Wellness and co-author of the Liberation Diet. He serves as a Fellow on the National Board of Fitness Examiners, and is president of Visionary Trainers. Kevin and his wife Tracy are Chapter leaders for the Weston A. Price foundation, a non-profit organization that is helping restore real food to its rightful place in the American diet.

[UPDATE: I found the post where I listed my cholesterol numbers back in January 2008.  I have updated this post accordingly.]

Aside from the stats I mentioned a few posts ago, now I have some more numbers that will help me measure how beneficial the Alternate Day Diet might or might not be for my health.

Cholesterol (total): 208……….was 193 in 2008

HDL: 48…………………………….was 39 in 2008

LDL: 141……………………………was 142 in 2008

Triglycerides: 93………………..was 57 in 2008

Fasting blood sugar: 82……….was 75 in 2008

Kidney function (BUN): 14

Liver function: AST = 22/ALT (23)

Aside from the cholesterol numbers everything else looks good.  And with the cholesterol numbers, at least my triglycerides are at a healthy level and my overall cholesterol is only marginally higher than normal.  Yet my LDL is disappointingly high.  Right now I am trying to locate my cholesterol test from 18 months ago to compare, but I can promise I will have the test rerun in a month and we will see if things have improved.

There are many myths about food and nutrition today. Those about fats are some of the most confusing.
Myth: Saturated fat clogs the arteries. Truth: 74 percent of the fats found in artery clogs are unsaturated with 41 percent polyunsaturated.
Myth: Optimal serum cholesterol levels should be less than 180 mg/dl for good health. Truth: The “all-cause” death rate is higher in those with cholesterol levels lower than 180 mg/dl.
Myth: Animal fats cause cancer and heart disease. Truth: Animal fats contain many nutrients that protect against cancer and heart disease; elevated rates of cancer and heart disease are associated with consumption of large amounts of vegetable oils.
Myth: Heart disease in America is caused by consumption of cholesterol and saturated fat from animal products. Truth: Heart disease in America increased rapidly from 1920 to 1960. During this time, consumption of animal fats declined, but consumption of hydrogenated and industrially processed vegetable oils increased dramatically.
Studies done during the 1940’s, lumped saturated fats together with trans-fats and hydrogenated oils which has led to the aversion of natural saturated fats which are actually beneficial to health.
The partially hydrogenated fats that are made from vegetable oils actually block utilization of essential fatty acids, causing many health problems. Consumption of hydrogenated fats is associated with serious disease conditions including cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, and immune system dysfunction. Amazingly enough, hydrogenated oils continue to be promoted as beneficial for health. The popularity of margarine and shortening over butter represents a triumph of advertising over common sense.
Research does not support the claim that butter causes chronic high cholesterol values. Margarine, on the other hand, provokes chronic high levels of cholesterol and has been linked to both heart disease and cancer. The new soft margarines or tub spreads, are lower in hydrogenated fats, but are still produced from rancid vegetable oils and contain many additives. High serum cholesterol levels often indicate that the body needs cholesterol to protect itself from high levels of altered fats that contain free radicals.
Saturated fats are a vital part of cell membranes, giving them stiffness and integrity necessary for proper function. They also play an important part in the health of our bones, allowing the fat soluble vitamins to effectively incorporate calcium and other minerals into the skeletal structure. Saturated fats help lower lipoprotein A, a factor that indicates tendency towards heart disease. They protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins while enhancing the immune system.
The moral to this story is to eat natural. Chemical processes tend to alter our food beyond recognition by the cells in our bodies.

Several Studies Claim Sperm Can Fight Depression, High Blood Pressure

MSNBC cites another study that states that women who swallow semen while performing oral sex have less of a chance of developing preeclampsia, a high-blood pressure disorder that can come with pregnancy.  There have been many studies on the benefits of sex. Aside from being a pleasurable experience, sex is said to boost the immune system among many other health-related pluses. However, more specifically semen has its health benefits too.

Believe it or not, there are sperm pills on the market which can make sperm taste and look better.

What is in semen?

Sperm is only 1% of semen. The rest is water, mucous, sugar and other acids and bases. According to SemenTherapy.com, semen contains:

ascorbic acid (vitamin C, for tissue maintenance)
blood-group antigens (from immune system)
calcium (mineral)
chlorine (oxidizing agent)
cholesterol (steroid alcohol present in body fluids)
chlorine (base, part of the vitamin B complex)
citric acid (occurs during cellular metabolism)
creatine (nitrogenous substance found in muscle)
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
fructose (sugar used for energy)
glutathione (peptide amino acid)
Glycoproteins (cancer fighting agent)
hyaluronidase (enzyme)
inositol (sugar found in muscles)
lactic acid (byproduct of muscle use)
magnesium (mineral)
nitrogen (gas found in all living tissue)
phosphorus (mineral)
prostaglandins (good for pregnancy)
potassium (mineral)
purine (compound of uric acid)
pyrimidine (organic base)
pyruvic acid (formed from either glucose or glycogen)
selenium (cancer fighting agent)
sodium (salt)
sorbitol (body alcohol)
spermidine (catalytic enzyme)
spermine (ammonia compound found in sperm)
urea (from urine)
uric acid (from urine)
vitamin B12 (for proper function of nervous system and metabolism)
zinc (mineral)

Semen Could Be an Antidepressant

A study at the State University of New York at Albany says there is a positive correlation between unprotected sex and lower depression rates, according to an MSNBC article. While the article and researchers do not condone unprotected sex (the article in fact has a disclaimer), the results showed that females who had sex without a condom had lower depression levels by those who used them during sexual encounters, or abstained from sex.

The SUNY-Albany study says that semen contains components that can relieve stress and lower depression, and also that the vagina absorbs these components and they can be detected in the bloodstream a few hours after sex.

Looking further into this claim, this AC writer found a Gallup study which revealed similar results. The Gallup researcher measured emotional benefits of semen by dividing 293 female students into groups based on how often their partners used condoms. Then, he administered the Beck Depression Inventory to assess their emotional well-being. Those scoring under 17 on emotional inventory are considered mentally sound.

The results? Gallup found that women who never used condoms scored 8 on the Beck scale; women who used them intermittently scored 10.5; women who frequently used protection came in at 15; and those who swore by condoms scored 11.3.

The Rockall Times in the UK published a story about a similar study, citing that the scientists pushed the results of the study on female coworkers, resulting in increased morale in the research facility. In fact, the study group plans to air television ads promoting semen’s benefits.

So, if one is with a partner they can trust, perhaps in a monogamous relationship reaping the benefits of semen could make one happier-and not just because they are ‘getting some.’

Semen Can Lower Blood Pressure