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Friday, January 24, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

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https://nordictimes.com/health/intermittent-fasting-increases-energy-may-slow-aging/

Health

Intermittent fasting increases energy – may slow aging

Published 26 August 2024
– By Editorial Staff
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Intermittent fasting may have several health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, delaying aging, and even being beneficial in cancer treatment. Fasting has also been shown to increase mental focus and improve sleep.

There are several different forms of intermittent fasting, including the 5:2 method and the 16:8 method.

Intermittent fasting is a dietary practice that alternates between periods of fasting and eating. The health purpose of fasting is to allow the body to rest and recover. The body, which uses the salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas during digestion, gets the necessary rest and time to repair cell damage during a period of fasting. Like other systems in the body, the digestive system needs rest to function optimally.

One way to do intermittent fasting is called the 16:8 method, which involves eating as usual for 8 hours and fasting for the remaining 16 hours of the day. It is common to eat dinner around 6 or 7 pm and eat again at 10 or 11 am the next day. It is said that you should be able to spend these hours as you wish, but some say that you should not eat after 6 pm for the best effect. A similar but “kinder” approach is to use an equivalent 14:10 method instead. There are also “upgrades” to 18:6 for those who want to fast longer.

Another common method is 5:2, where you eat as usual for five days and “half fast” for two days. On the half-fast days, you eat about 500-600 calories of nutritious food. It is also possible to do a more gentle 6:1.

Health benefits

According to Kerstin Brismar, Professor of Diabetes Research at Karolinska Institutet, regular intermittent fasting can have a number of positive health effects, including on blood pressure, blood lipids and gut flora.

– People who fast often find that they are more alert, happier and sleep better, she told the magazine Må Bra.

A 2015 animal study showed that intermittent fasting changed the gut flora, to the great benefit of good bacteria. Another study published in 2019 showed that intermittent fasting can lead to significant improvements in liver steatosis, especially in people with type 2 diabetes. The results suggest that both people with and without diabetes experience a reduction in liver fat and body weight with this type of fasting.

Intermittent fasting is often promoted as a good way to lose weight, but a 2021 study suggests that this may not be true. The study tested three groups, one using intermittent fasting, one using a traditional diet, and one using only partial fasting. The intermittent fasting group lost almost no weight over three weeks, while those on a traditional diet lost 1.9 kilograms

However, you can still lose weight with intermittent fasting, for the simple reason that you often don’t eat as much as when you’re not fasting. Fasting can also reduce appetite, which in itself can also lead to weight loss.

– Counterintuitively, fasting has been shown to decrease the hunger hormone ghrelin, nutritionist Whitney English told Livestrong.

The reason why fasting can make you feel more alert and energetic may be because the body enters a metabolic state called ketosis, which means it switches from using glucose to using ketones instead.

– Researchers call this ‘intermittent metabolic switching’ and believe that it adapted to help humans remain in a state of optimal functioning in order to hunt and gather food during periods of hunger, Whitney English explains.

Fasting is also thought to improve insulin sensitivity, which may protect against diabetes. It may also help lower blood sugar, improve blood lipids, and lower blood pressure, according to Livestrong.

Fasting is supposed to be good for the heart and lower blood pressure. Photo: Mara Ket/Unsplash

Slowing the aging process

Professor Valter Longo of the University of Southern California has spent more than 15 years researching fasting and its health effects, and has concluded that restricting calories through fasting can prolong life. In one of his studies, participants completed three rounds of five-day fasts, interspersed with a low-sugar, low-protein diet. The results showed that the biological age of the participants decreased by an average of 2.5 years.

– We clearly see in our laboratory studies that organs and cells shrink and then rebuild. The body turns on the stem cells and starts to rebuild, said Valter Longo in the SVT program Vetenskapens värld in 2022.

Longo has also done some research on cancer and believes that fasting can help in cancer treatment. Back in 2012, he showed that fasting together with chemotherapy can shrink tumors more than chemotherapy alone, because fasting prevents cancer cells from getting the nutrients they need to grow. However, fasting can also cause nutritional deficiencies in patients, so a fasting-like diet has been developed that deprives cancer cells of the nutrients they need while still providing important immune system cells with what they need. In later trials, in 2016, this fasting-like diet was tested together with chemotherapy in cancer patients and found to work, according to an article from forskning.se. On his website, Lango describes the diet and other research he has done.

How to start intermittent fasting

If you want to start some form of intermittent fasting, it can be good to start slowly and gradually, for example, fast for twelve hours and see how it feels, then gradually increase to longer periods. Then you can test the waters and see what type of intermittent fasting works best for you. Some may want to alternate between 5:2 and 16:8, while others may only want to use the 14:10 method.

It is also important to eat good, nutritious food during the eating periods. Make sure you get enough protein, fiber, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Remember to drink plenty of water, especially during fasting periods..

During these fasting periods, it is okay to drink coffee and tea as well as water.

Be sure to listen to your body. If you feel nauseous or dizzy, you may want to break your fast.

Fasting should always be avoided if you are pregnant, underweight, under the age of 18, or have an eating disorder. If you are taking any medications, you should also ask your doctor if intermittent fasting is okay for you.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/health/mel-gibson-my-friends-were-cured-of-cancer-with-ivermectin-and-fenbendazole/

Health

Mel Gibson: “My friends were cured of cancer with Ivermectin and Fenbendazole”

Published 14 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Gibson himself has an interest in advances in regenerative medicine and stem cell research.
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In a conversation on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, actor and director Mel Gibson shared a story about three of his friends who he said had stage 4 cancer but are now cancer-free.

– I have three friends, all had stage four cancer. None of them have it anymore,” said Gibson. When asked what treatments were used, he replied “Ivermectin and Fenbendazole“.

These drugs are usually anti-parasitic and are mainly used to treat infections in humans and animals. Although Gibson did not go into details about the treatments, he emphasized that the results for his friends were remarkable.

Mr. Gibson also mentioned his interest in medical advances in regenerative medicine and stem cell research. He expressed his fascination with these areas and their potential to improve human health.

Beyond the discussion on health, Gibson reflected on changes in the film industry. He criticized the increased commercialization in Hollywood and highlighted his desire to work on more meaningful projects.

– I want to work on stories that engage and mean something, Gibson said, citing his previous productions as examples. He also mentioned his plans for a sequel to The Passion of the Christ, describing the project as one of his most ambitious ventures to date.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/finnish-cancer-expert-put-warning-labels-on-alcohol/

Health

Finnish cancer expert: Put warning labels on alcohol

Published 11 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Several experts want alcoholic beverages to have warning labels similar to those on cigarette packs.
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Alcohol causes thousands of cancer cases every year, yet few people are said to be aware of the link. Finnish cancer expert Eeva Ollila wants to see warning labels on alcoholic drinks to raise awareness and improve public health.

The US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, has proposed introducing cancer warnings on alcoholic beverages, similar to those already on cigarettes. He has issued a so-called “strong recommendation”, which is unusual and according to authorities requires immediate attention. Alcohol, according to Murthy, contributes to about 100,000 people contracting cancer and 20,000 dying from the disease in the US each year, reports the BBC.

The link between alcohol and cancer has long been a concern for EU policymakers, and there was a plan to introduce warning labels on alcoholic beverages as early as 2023. However, the plan was never implemented, as many politicians’ attitudes on the issue changed as the 2024 European elections approached, according to former Finland-Swedish MEP Nils Torvalds.

– Many of the MEPs had an election campaign ahead of them and were more worried about their own mandate than about the issues in Parliament, he told Finnish state broadcaster Yle.

Pointing to ignorance

Finnish cancer expert Eeva Ollila, a senior physician at the Finnish Cancer Society, believes that both Finland and the EU should pursue the issue.

– In Finland, alcohol is responsible for 2,100 cancer cases a year, 500 of which result in death. This is remarkable for public health as a whole, he tells the paper.

Ollila believes that product labeling requirements should be introduced, which would include three elements: the risk of cancer, the content of the drink and the amount of calories. She also points out that a major problem is that many people do not know that alcohol causes cancer – according to research, only 20 to 40% of Nordic people know about the link.

– The problem is that people don’t know that alcohol causes cancer. They should have the right to know what they put in their mouths and how it affects their bodies, says Ollila.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/danish-study-cows-milk-healthier-than-plant-based/

Health

Danish study: Cow’s milk healthier than plant-based

Published 3 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
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Cow’s milk contains more protein and essential amino acids compared to plant-based alternatives, according to a Danish study. Cow’s milk also has a lower sugar content.

In the study, published in Food Research International, researchers from the University of Copenhagen analyzed two types of cow’s milk and ten types of different plant-based beverages as alternatives to regular milk. The plant-based drinks included six oat drinks, one soy drink, one rice drink, one almond drink and one drink made from a mixture of soy, rice, almonds and oats.

All the drinks in the study had undergone an ultra-high temperature (UHT) treatment, where the product is heated enough to kill all bacteria. This method allows the products to be stored unopened at room temperature. However, cow’s milk often undergoes low pasteurization, where it is heated at lower temperatures. As plant-based beverages are usually treated with UHT, the researchers chose to compare products with the same type of heat treatment.

More protein

The cow’s milk tested contained 3.4 grams of protein per liter, while eight of the 10 plant-based drinks examined contained only between 0.4 and 1.1 grams of protein per liter.

All plant-based drinks also had a lower content of essential amino acids compared to cow’s milk. In addition, seven out of ten plant-based drinks contained more sugar than cow’s milk.

– Overall, plant-based drinks contain significantly less protein and some of them also contain more sugar than cow’s milk, Marianne Nissen Lund, professor at the Department of Food Science and lead author of the study, told Danish state broadcaster DR.

When foods containing protein and sugar are exposed to heat, a chemical reaction called the Maillard reaction or Maillard effect occurs. This is what makes freshly baked bread smell good or adds extra flavor to the surface of a piece of meat, according to the researchers. At the same time, some of the essential amino acids are converted in this process.

– In this way, there is a clear loss of nutrients, says Nissen Lund.

Not a good source of nutrients

Nissen Lund recommends that consumers generally choose less processed products to benefit both the environment and health. However, she stresses that plant-based milk substitutes are not considered unhealthy, but emphasizes the importance of a balanced diet.

– If you make sure you eat a balanced diet, my assessment is that drinking these plant-based drinks is not problematic. Just don’t think it’s a source of good nutrition.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/swedish-study-difficult-pregnancy-linked-to-fewer-children/

Health

Swedish study: Difficult pregnancy linked to having fewer children

Published 27 November 2024
– By Editorial Staff
The number of babies born in Sweden has declined in recent decades and researchers emphasize the importance of better monitoring and follow-up in maternity care.
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Swedish women who suffer severe complications during their first pregnancy are less likely to have more children in the future, according to a study from Karolinska Institutet, Sweden’s leading medical university.

In the study, published in Jama, researchers examined the relationship between severe morbidity in first-time mothers and their likelihood of having more children. The study included over one million women in Sweden who had their first child between 1999 and 2021.

According to the study, 3.5% of women experienced serious complications during their pregnancy. Of these, 12% were less likely to have more children as a result of the complications.

– We found that the likelihood of having more children was significantly lower among women who experienced severe illness during their first pregnancy, childbirth or early postpartum period. These events can often affect women for a long time to come, both physically and psychologically, says Neda Razaz, Associate Professor at Karolinska Institutet and one of the researchers behind the study in a press release.

Fewer children are born

Women who suffered from heart problems, uterine rupture or severe deterioration in their mental state were least likely to have more children. Compared to women without complications, these women were half as likely to have children

Among women who needed ventilator care or suffered a cerebral hemorrhage during their first pregnancy, 40% were less likely to have more children. Complications such as acute renal failure, severe pre-eclampsia and blood clots were also linked to a reduced likelihood of further pregnancies.

The number of births in Sweden has decreased while infertility has increased in recent years and the researchers emphasize the importance of better monitoring and follow-up in maternity care.

– The clinical follow-up of these women is very important and they need individualized counseling about possible future pregnancies, says Eleni Tsamantioti, PhD student at the Department of Medicine at Karolinska Institutet and one of the researchers behind the study.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com