Health Notes

Written By Nutriwonders

This column has presented SAMe (S adenosyl L-Methionine) on several occasions. It is produced in the human body from the amino acid methionine and choline. Amino acids come from proteins. From research that was done in l985 and reproduced in "Brain Research" journal, it appears that the pituitary gland tissues are dependent upon SAMe for the production of thyrotropin-releasing hormome, which in turn releases thyrotropin, which in turn stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroxin. Thyroxin hormone is essential for the energy released and used by all human cells. There is no life without thyroid hormone.

SAMe enters into the picture in another way as a methyl donor. A methyl deficient diet has been known to have a carcinogenic effect at least since l989. If the diet does not contain enough of the amino acid methionine and only choline, it cannot manufature SAMe. Homocysteine replaces the methionine, and the body must manufacture SAMe using folate. Guess what? Folate deficiency in women is what produces children born with spina bifida and other severe neurological problems.

When you buy any protein rich food, such as meat or milk, there is no information as to whether you are getting enough methionine. Our suggestion is that you make sure you take a protein supplement containing sufficient amounts of methionine or buy SAMe.

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS from fish oil were known in l987 to be beneficial to low birth weight infants. The particular fatty acid in the report is known as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). It is also found in human milk. This study was printed in a well known pediatrics publication. It is notable that the FDA approved only this year, that DHA should be put in babies' formula. That's important, considering that DHA ingestion, acording to recent research, determines the ability of children to learn, and the amount of it taken in during childhood determines the ability of humans to learn throughout their lives, and only 3 to 4 percent of American women breastfeed.

MORE NEWS FROM THE RESEARCH FRONT...WATER! WATER!

Cancer: A l999 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine examined 48,000 men over a period of ten years. The study found that the men who drank the most water had the lowest risk of developing bladder cancer.

Asthma: Exercise-induced asthma is caused by water loss from the air ways and can be prevented by pre-exercise hydration. Drink water before you exercise. Don't over drink if you intend to do strenuous exercise however. There is some evidence that if too much water is taken in just before a l0K run for instance, the water may not enter the system until the excercise is over and then cause serious problems with the kidney when it does finally enter. Therefore take some time after you hydrate before entering a strenuous exercise regimen.

Speaking of water. Do you remember when it was recommended that the optimum intake of water was eight 8 oz. glasses of water per day? Well, it still is. Soda, coffee, tea, and alcoholic beverages do not count. They require water for processing and may drain vital minerals and other nutrients from your body.

We wish you all the best of health!!

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