Community Magazine May 2012

To • • Health COFFEE FORWEIGHT LOSS? Overweight young adults who were given a low dose of green coffee bean extract lost about 17 pounds in 22 weeks. In the study, presented at the American Chemical Society’s spring national meeting, control groups were also given a high dose of the supplement and then a placebo. Researchers believe that coffee bean extract worked best to aid weight loss by reducing the gut’s ability to absorb fat and sugar, and reducing insulin levels to improve metabolism. The extract is bitter, but costs just $20 per month (in naturopathic stores), cheaper than most weight-loss medications currently available. BILINGUALISMHELPS THE BRAIN People who speak two languages may delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease by an average of 4.5 years compared to people who speak only one language, according to a review of previous studies. The bilingual subjects were also more able to cope with the disease, and their symptoms developed later, even when brain scans revealed that they suffered from advanced stages of Alzheimer’s. Bilingualism may protect the brain from the negative effects of aging, such that people who speak more than one language have better cognitive abilities – known as higher cognitive reserves – as they age, a factor which has been linked with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. According to the paper published in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences, over half of the world population is bilingual, and about 20 percent of Americans and Canadians speak a second language at home. THYME TO FIGHT ACNE Thyme has been found to be 100 times more effective in reducing levels of bacteria then benzoyl peroxide, the main ingredient in many pimple creams. Researchers at Leeds Metropolitan University in Britain tested thyme, marigold and myrrh, and found that they all reduced the levels of bacteria after five minutes, with thyme being the most effective. Herbal tinctures are produced by steeping plant materials in ethanol to draw out key compounds. The active ingredients in the thyme mixture included compounds that have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. At high doses, benzoyl peroxide can cause burning sensations and skin irritation. BEWARE OF ALLERGY TESTING Non-standardized tests for food sensitivities and food allergies are often misread or suggest food sensitivities when in fact the person has developed a tolerance for the food. Food sensitivities or food intolerance should only be determined through specialized tests done by an allergist, according to a recent study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The researchers say that tests bought at the pharmacy or blood tests by a naturopath practitioner should be used with caution. Those who administer the tests look for an antibody reaction known as immunoglobulin G, or IgG, which is believed to indicate a food sensitivity. In truth, however, this reaction may actually mean that the patient has developed a tolerance for the food. According to the Journal, European and American allergy and immunology societies have published papers confirming that tests looking at IgG or IgG4 antibodies cannot accurately diagnose a food intolerance. Standardized testing by an allergist usually entails pricking the skin with a needle that was exposed to minute amounts of the suspected allergen. If the skin reacts with redness, itching or swelling, there is a de-facto allergy. A further action might be a blood test, but one involving the antibody IgE, targeted for a specific food item, which the paper insists is a better indicator. The Journal explained that a food allergy is one where there is a direct, immediate response, usually in the form of hives or a constricting sensation in the throat. This is in contrast to a food sensitivity (or food intolerance), which could take hours or even days to manifest itself. OBESEMOMS LINKED TO AUTISTIC KIDS Women who are obese during pregnancy are 67 percent more likely to have autistic children, and have twice the risk of having kids with other developmental delays according to a study was published in the journal Pediatrics. The average risk of autism is 1 in 88, and obesity during pregnancy raised the risk to 1 in 53. Over a third of American women are obese, and past studies have linked obesity during pregnancy with stillbirths, preterm births and some birth defects. Autism has been linked to genes, and maternal 74 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE