VitPower Health Solutions

Those extra helpings of gravy and dessert at the holiday table are even more of a problem to your waistline than previously thought. According to a new research report recently appearing online in The FASEB Journal , a diet that is high in fat and in sugar actually switches on genes that ultimately cause our bodies to store too much fat. These foods strike you with a double-problem as the task of converting high-fat and high-sugar foods to energy is made even more difficult because these foods also turn our bodies into "fat-storage containers." In the research report, scientists show that foods high in fat and sugar stimulate a known opioid receptor, called the kappa opioid receptor (KOR), which plays a role in fat metabolism. When this receptor is stimulated, it causes our bodies to hang on to much more fat than they'd do otherwise. According to the researchers involved in the study, "the data presented here support the hypothesis that overactivat

Increased intakes of Omega-3 fatty acids from marine sources may benefit people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), according to a new report. Increased intakes of Omega-3 fatty acids from marine sources may benefit people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), according to a new report. A review of four human studies found that the fatty acids could improve liver health and function, and increase insulin sensitivity in people suffering from fatty liver, a condition that is usually symptomless but said to increase the risk for liver inflammation, and ultimately results in liver failure. Fatty liver is reportedly on the rise in the United States, with between one quarter and one half of Americans, and the prevalence if nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has increased in line with the ongoing obesity epidemic. Researchers from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in Scotland, report their findings in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics

A study in the December 15th issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine indicates that significant associations exist between parent-reported insomnia symptoms and medical complaints of gastrointestinal distress (regurgitation) and headaches in young school-aged children Results of the study show that parent-reported insomnia was 3.3 times more likely in children with gastrointestinal regurgitation and 2.3 times more likely in children with headaches. Nineteen percent of children met the criteria for insomnia, which was defined as often having trouble falling asleep and/or waking up often in the night. Gastrointestinal problems were reported in 7.5 percent of children with insomnia and two percent of children who did not have sleep disturbances. Headaches were reported in 24.4 percent of children with insomnia and 13.2 percent of children without disturbed sleep. The research team from the department of Psychiatry at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa., reported that ch

Compounds found in spices may reduce the risk of breast cancer formation by stopping the growth of the stem cells that spawn the tumours, says a new study. Researchers from the University of Michigan report that curcumin found in turmeric, and piperine found in black peppers, decreased the number of stem cells while having no effect on normal differentiated cells. The researchers used doses equivalent to 20 times to potency of what could be consumed through the diet. These higher potencies are possible from dietary supplements, noted the researchers. "If we can limit the number of stem cells, we can limit the number of cells with potential to form tumors," they explained. The results of the study, said to be the first to suggest these dietary compounds could reduce the risk of cancer by targeting stem cells, are published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. According to the American Cancer Society, almost 195,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in the US thi

While it is too early for physicians to start advising their male patients to take up the habit of regular coffee drinking, data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference revealed a strong inverse association between coffee consumption and the risk of lethal and advanced prostate cancers. Coffee has effects on insulin and glucose metabolism as well as sex hormone levels. Each play a role in prostate cancer leading researchers to investigate if there may be an association between coffee and prostate cancer. In a prospective study conducted at Channing Laboratory, Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health, a team of researchers found that men who drank the most coffee had a 60 percent lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer than men who did not drink any coffee. The team specifically looked at different types of prostate cancer, such as advanced vs. localized cancers or high-grade vs. low-grade cance

The nutritive Carotenoids found in green leafy vegetables and colored fruits, have been found to increase visual performance and may prevent age-related eye diseases, according to a study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists. Authors from the University of Georgia compiled the results of multiple studies on the effects of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin on visual performance. These carotenoids play an important role in human vision, including a positive impact on the retina. After reviewing the various studies, the authors concluded that macular pigments, specifically lutein and zeaxanthin do have an effect on visual performance. Lutein and zeaxanthin can reduce disability and discomfort from glare, enhance contrast, and reduce photostress recovery times. They can also reduce glare from light absorption and increase the visual range. The research team noted that the study of the effects of lutein and zeazanthin are important because &qu