Juice Plus+® Health News

Vitamins And Vitamin D Benefit HIV Patients

Amazingly enough, there seems to be evidence that vitamins are important even for some of the more difficult diseases to address. While whole food nutrition from fruits and vegetables are the best source of nutrients for the body, there are cases where concentrated high doses of vitamins can provide benefit. Supplementing with Juice Plus+ provides nutrients from a variety of whole foods. For those of you who are interested in getting more nutrients for prevention of sickness, Juice Plus+ may help you in that regard.  But in the case of those dealing with HIV, research shows that Vitamin D is helpful. Here's more --

Taking high doses of vitamin D may slow the disease progression and reduce the risk of death in people with HIV, a new study published in the Jan 2010 issue of PLoS One suggests.

The study led by Mehta S at Harvard School of Public Health showed HIV carriers with high serum vitamin D levels were at low risk of disease progression, mortality and severe anemia.

Vitamin D has been known to be involved in the immune system. In the study, the researchers  wanted to know if vitamin D plays a role in slowing HIV disease progression and preventing mortality.

Mehta et al. analysed data on 884 HIV-infected pregnant women who were enrolled in a trial of multivitamin supplementation in Tanzania. The subjects were followed up for an average of 69 months.

Those who had lower than 32 ng/mL of serum vitamin D were 25 percent more likely to experience disease progression to WHO HIV disease stage III or greater, compared to those who had high levels.

Women with low vitamin D were also 47 percent more likely to develop severe anemia during the follow-up compared to those with adequate vitamin D levels. Read more...

Comments: Vitamin D continues to get more attention as more research and published studies are showing the benefits. However, it is more important to eat a well balanced diet that includes plenty of plant-based foods. You will find more nutrients when you consume a variety of RIPE and raw whole food fruits and vegetables. Don't forget to exercise and get plenty of water, and rest.

The Health & Wellness Institute, PC
Official Juice Plus+ Independent Distributor

Coffee And Foods For Prevention

We tout vitamins and nutrients from whole foods for the prevention of sickness and diseaes, and recommend Juice Plus+ for those of you who don't get enough fruits and vegetables in your diet. And now, for those who consume java on a regular basis you will be happy to know that you may derive some health benefits in the form of prevention. Although this study only showed a decrease incidence of a specific type of cancer, it is worth what may be some comfort and justification for your daily habit --

Coffee might stave off more than just sleep, according to research showing that those who chug a lot of java have a lower rate of head and neck cancers.

Prior research on the link between coffee and cancer has yielded mixed results. Some studies, for example, have found lower rates of kidney and ovarian cancer among coffee drinkers, while there appears to be no effect for colon cancer.

For the new report, scientists pooled results from nine earlier studies on head and neck cancers, which also included information on coffee or tea drinking. In each study, cancer patients had been compared to either the general population or to hospital patients who didn't have cancer.

Overall, the risk of developing head and neck cancers was 12 percent lower in people who drank coffee compared with those who didn't, after accounting for a variety of factors, including cigarette smoking.  Read more...

Comments: Why this reduced risk may be a mystery. Maybe because of the stimulant that coffee provides which enhances mood.  Perhaps the stimulant motivates users to be more productive and focus on something purposeful.  Whatever the case, it's good to know that us coffee drinkers have one more reason to be gulping down the java.

And for the foods that we continue to turn to as our source of nutrients for the prevention of sickness and disease? Well, drug companies are now doing the same, looking for that one component or compound in a food that may be responsible for fighting unhealthy cells or repairing a damaged organ or otherwise. This is another reason for supplementing with a whole food nutritional supplement like Juice Plus+ - because you want as many of those nutrients that are in the entire food, and a variety of them at that. Here's more on foods as the source of disease killers --

U.S. scientists, who have tried for years to develop drugs to reduce the risk of cancer with limited success, are turning to plant substances, researchers said.

The synthetic drugs finasteride and dutasteride, which treat enlargement of the prostate gland, have been effective at deterring prostate cancer, while the osteoporosis drug raloxifene and the breast cancer treatment tamoxifen -- synthetic -- have cut the breast cancer rate in half among high-risk women.

However, chemicals from plants and other living organisms are the basis for almost one-third of today's prescription medicines and scientists have identified a variety of promising candidates that may prevent cancer.

John M. Pezzuto of the University of Hawaii in Hilo and his team, using terrestrial plants, have uncovered several molecules with promising cancer prevention activity, most notably resveratrol, the red-wine compound made by a range of plants.

Gary D. Stoner of Ohio State University has been studying cancer prevention potential of berries and beets and he and his team have used a freeze-dried and powdered black raspberry mixture that blocks formation of esophageal and colon cancers in rats. More...

Bottom Line: We need a variety of plant based foods in our diet to get the wide variety of antioxidants - vitamins and nutrients - for the prevention of sickness and disease. Those same foods provide healing when you already have a health problem. So don't skimp on those healthy foods.

Dr. J. Patrick Havey
The Health & Wellness Institute, PC
Official Juice Plus+ Independent Distributor

The Truth About Antioxidants And Vitamins

A few things to clear up about vitamins and antioxidants and free radicals that you may not have known.

1. Myth: All free radicals must be destroyed.  We know that free radicals are a by-product of a basic metabolic process called oxidation. But some free radicals are essential. For instance, immune cells will shoot free radicals into invading bacteria in order to kill them, as part of the body's defenses.  While some vitamins and nutrients are necessary to neutralize free radicals from pollutants, and smoke sun overexposure, you don't want to overdo it. In fact, there are different types of free radicals. Before you go taking a handful of vitamins to "take care of" those radicals, read on.
2. Myth: Antioxidants are all created equal.  Antioxidants are the neutralizers of free radicals, and they prevent oxidation (hence, anti-oxidation). However, be it a vitamin or nutrient, not all are going to have the same effect. You can't expect to take Vitamin D or C and not get enough of Vitamin E for example. Consuming a wide range of vitamins and nutrients is the best way to get  a gamut of antioxidants. They all provide a unique benefit to the body. Estimates are that there are around 8,000 different varieties. With different free radicals, it only makes sense that there by different types of antioxidants.
3. Myth: All antioxidants come from fruits and vegetables. While this is the best source of antioxidants - fruits, vegetables, grapes, berries (all sources of nutrients found in Juice Plus+®) - these aren't the only sources. The entire plant kingdom does, and that includes beans, nuts, seeds, and grains. (In fact, while Juice Plus+® whole food nutritional supplement contains nutrients from a variety of fruits and vegetables, it also contains antioxidants from 2 different grain). The best thing to do is get a variety of fruits and vegetables, including grains, beans, and seeds so that you get as wide a range of antioxidants as possible.
4. Myth: Antioxidant-Fortified Foods Are Healthier.  This is one area where many people have fallen victim. There is no reason to believe that foods that are fortified with vitamins and antioxidants are any better for you. Many companies jumped on the wagon and put something in their products just so they could put that ever-luring "Antioxidants" term on their packaging to entice us to buy. In reality, there is no reasearch proving one with "A's" is healthier than without. Let's use some common sense here and say that the whole food source is the only healthy way to get a wide range of antioxidants. Adding Vitamins C or B to a water drink doesn't make it better. Some studies show that these synthetic forms of vitamins have acutally increased the risk of sickness and disease.
5. Myth: Exercise And Antioxidant Supplements Will Keep Me Healthy.  Some studies show that it may not be the best thing to do to take vitamins, supplements, or antioxidants of any sort, right after exercsing.  The body's natural processes need not be interfered with by taking concentrated vitamins and supplements. Eating whole food fruits and vegetables are the best way to provide the nutrients and recovery support for your body's cells.

When it comes to adding any supplement to your diet, we recommend a whole food nutritional supplement. Juice Plus+® is one example, but eating plenty of those foods in their raw, ripened state is going to be your best defense against free radicals and preventing sickness and disease. You won't go wrong with a comprehensively healthy diet.

Dr. J. Patrick Havey
The Health & Wellness Institute, PC

Source Referenced: Men's Health, June 2010 Issue; The Truth About Antioxidants

Fruit And Vegetable Month - Prevention Starts Here

If it's not a holiday or vacation day, you may not realize what the celebration or labeled day or month is, but you should take note of this one. That is fruit and vegetable month, started with the intention of increasing awareness of the importance of those foods. (Hallmark cards are not to be found!). Fruits and vegetables are the best source of vitamins and nutrients for your health. This is why we recommend whole food supplements that contain nutrients from those foods, as Juice Plus+ does.  There is no better place to get the antioxidants and vitamins you need than these whole foods, a plant-based diet.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of interest in this labeled month. Not only are fruits and vegetables important, but the manner in which they come to us are too. Let's take a look at why you may want to consider organic --

We should celebrate. Florida is a fertile source for many produce favorites and when our growing season is over, our neighbors to the north are still harvesting delicious fresh vegetables and fruits for us to enjoy.

We learn that ignorance is bliss, however, when we discover that celery can be coated in 67 pesticides. Yes, sorry, that tuna salad in the fridge is possibly dosing your family with chemicals designed to kill weeds and creepy crawly pests.

However, a new report by nonprofit public health advocates Environmental Working Group is a blessing to all of us who like to keep our produce drawers full and our doctor visits to a minimum. The report is the result of poring through thousands and thousands of USDA pesticide reports. This determined which fruits and veggies have the best and worst chemical residue. Read more...

Comments: One thing to keep in mind- if you don't eat the minimum number of fruits and vegetables and you consume fast foods and other unhealthy foods, then the choice between organic and non-organic is not that important. Work on improving your diet one step before going further and seeking out all organic foods. It's enough for most people to work on avoiding fast foods and start drinking more water and eating more healthy foods. Here's more info on organic just to give you an idea --

Organic farming only uses naturally occurring chemicals or traditional remedies to control pests and diseases. According to public perception, organic food is the healthy option. Sales of organic produce have rocketed over the past few years with the organics industry sending out messages of safer, healthier food created by farming practices which are better for the environment. But is it really as good as we think? Critics argue that organic farming leads to the risk of contamination with potentially dangerous bacteria and mould toxins, and increased levels of 'natural pesticide' found in organic produce could even be as dangerous as synthetic chemicals.

So who do we believe? Are organic fruit and vegetables as harmless as they appear? And why do they cost so much? In this piece, common views about this subject are discussed.  More info...

Comments: There are many criteria that makes a food qualify for the label 'organic'.  The problem is that there are gray areas in the definition. You aren't going to go wrong by choosing organic, they will have higher amounts of quality vitamins and nutrients as opposed to non-organic. There is a book that you may want to check out for reference on what foods, what preparations, growing and raising methods, and more details related to diet that will educate you on whats best for your health. It's called 'What To Eat' by Marion Nestle. Marion provides lots of great information, data, facts, and well thought out opinions and conclusions about what she feels is best for you.

The bottom line: make the effort to eat more fruits and vegetables this month and every month and every day. They are the cornerstone of your good health and provide the vitamins and nutrients and antioxidants for the prevention of sickness and disease. Until you get enough of those foods, add Juice Plus+ whole food nutritional supplement to get added nutrients from a variety of fruits and vegetables.

The Health & Wellness Institute
Official Juice Plus+ Independent Distributor

 

Coming Soon! Juice Plus+® Soft Chewable Vineyard Blend

You've heard of and maybe even tried the Juice Plus+® Fruit and Vegetable Capsules, which also come in a soft chewable for kids or adults who don't like swallowing capsules. And you may have also tried the Juice Plus+® Vineyard Blend that contains nutrients from 9 different grapes and berries. Well, coming soon will be a soft chewable form of the Vineyard Blend.  Stay tuned as we near the date of release for this great new product.

In the meantime, make the effort to eat plenty of ripe, raw fruits and vegetables each day for your good health and the prevention of sickness and disease. Add Juice Plus+® Fruit and Vegetable Capsules to make up for any deficiency of those foods in your diet.  To learn more about this product and to continue getting  updates, visit the link below.

The Health & Wellness Institute, PC
Official Juice Plus+® Independent Distributor

Low Vitamins Levels Linked To Depression

In our continued effort to motivate others to eat more fruits and vegetables, we report the studies that show the benefits of vitamins and adequate nutrition intake. Since most of us don't eat enough fruits and vegetables, we do recommend Juice Plus+ in order to get more nutrients from a variety of those foods. However, a new study shows that low levels of some vitamins are associated with a higher likelihood of depression. Specifically, vitamins B12 and B6. Here's more --

Older adults with relatively low intakes of vitamins B6 and B12 may have a higher risk of developing depression than those who get more of the nutrients, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that among 3,500 older adults they followed for up to a dozen years, the risk of developing depression symptoms declined by 2 percent for every 10-milligram (mg) increase in daily vitamin B6 from food and supplements.

The same was true for every 10-microgram (mcg) increase in vitamin B12 intake.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, do not prove that the B vitamins themselves protect against depression. But the results do echo those of some previous studies tying the vitamins -- as well as folate, another B vitamin -- to depression risk.  More...

Comments: The importance of having adequate vitamins levels in the body is good to stress and research to provide the concrete evidence of such importance.  Yet it is equally important to know that the source of such vitamins should come from whole food ripe, raw fuits and vegetables or other plant-based foods.  While this is the best source of nutrition, because most people do not get enough in their diet, we recommend Juice Plus+ as a way to get more nutrients from 7 different fruits and 8 different vegetables. With more research providing the evidence of how important it is to have plenty of the right nutrients in your diet, take this as more reason to take the steps to improve your diet. That means at least 7 servings per day of those good foods. Your health depends on it!

Dr. Patrick Havey
The Health & Wellness Institute, PC
Official Juice Plus+ Independent Distributor

Vitamins Pendulum Swings the Other Way

In the ongoing research, studies, and debates regarding specific vitamins and their overall benefit or lack thereof, we now see the pendulum take a brief swing to the side of doubt. This is a good reason to take the advice of reaching for a whole food nutritional supplement - Juice Plus+ for example - instead of one or a multitude of synthetic vitamins... if you need to supplement your diet.  This particlular vitamins study looks at one of the most widely touted vitamins for supporting our health, that seems to be lacking in a large majority of the population. Vitamin D --

A new report recently released says vitamin D provides no protection against certain types of cancer.

More than 7,000 cases were studied by the National Cancer Institute and several other institutions.  Researchers examined vitamin D levels in blood that had been collected from thousands of men and women before they received a cancer diagnosis.

The study found no protection against Lymphoma, cancer of the endometrium, esophagus, stomach, kidney, ovarian or pancreatic cancer.

"What we found overall there was no strong association between vitamin D and cancer risk so the lower levels were not associated with the higher risk and higher levels were not protected against cancer," said Dr. Kathy Helzlsouer, study chairwoman. Source...

Comments: While I would suggest that a food-based source of Vitamin D would be preferred over a synthetic one, for various reasons, including studies like these that can turn negative, don't throw out your Vitamin D in a bottle just yet. However, don't be lured into a sense of false security about your health, thinking that taking a handful of supplements each day will provide the nutrients your body needs to remain healthy.  The best source of good nutrition is a plant-based diet.  If you don't get enough fruits and vegetables in your diet, then use a whole food nutritional supplement like Juice Plus+ which provides nutrients from a variety of those foods.

Finally, it is easy to also find both sides of a study - each that contradicts the other - for any vitamin or otherwise. The good news here is that there are many, many more studies that show the benefits of Vitamin D than there are studies like these. You may also question the motivation of either side - who benefits from the conclusions offered, that is. Then you may question whether or not the study is biased. That's why it's best to stick with a healthy diet that includes plenty of plant-based foods.

Dr. J. Patrick Havey
The Health & Wellness Institute, PC
Official Juice Plus+ Independent Distributor

Vitamins Study - Vitamin B3 Benefits for Stroke Patients

More research continues to be performed on the effectiveness of certain vitamins on the body's health. While many of these vitamins studies are retrospective in nature - meaning they are done after a health problem or condition  comes about - they still provide some important data.  When you see the reports, you'll understand why we continue to emphasize the need for a healthier diet, most importantly increasing the fruits, vegetables, grapes, and berries that are consumed daily. Of course, we recommend Juice Plus+® for those who continue to struggle with getting the minimum recommended servings.  In regards to Vitamin B3, notice the specific benefits to the brain and ask yourself why you wouldn't try to eat more plant-based foods now for a healthy brain (from BetterHealthResearch) --

Individuals who experience a stroke may want to begin taking the nutritional supplement, vitamin B3, as a new study suggests that it could be an effective treatment to improve neurological function.

According to researchers from the Henry Ford Hospital, when rats that experienced an ischemic stroke were given vitamin B3, their brains began to grow new blood vessels and sprouted nerve cells, which greatly improved their neurological performance.

An ischemic stroke is when there is an obstruction in the vessels that supply blood to the brain. It currently accounts for 87 percent of all stroke cases.

The scientists believed that these findings were conclusive enough to begin testing on human patients, in hopes of developing an effective alternative treatment that could potentially improve the quality of life for stroke victims. Read more...

Comments: While we certainly don't want to ignore the benefits of Vitamin B3 for helping those who have had a stroke, we should use this study as a lesson for improved neurological function by eating a healthy diet that is vitamin, mineral, and nutrient-rich - that is, a plant-based diet. If you don't eat enough of those foods, or won't, then consider taking a whole food nutritional supplement like Juice Plus+®, which contains nutrients from 7 different fruits and 8 different vegetables. There are plenty of reasons to reform your diet to include more of those foods, being sure that they are ripe and raw when you consumine them for highest nutritional value.

Dr. J. Patrick Havey
The Health & Wellness Institute, PC

Vitamins Study Provides Positive Outlook, Again

While synthetic vitamins supplements are not the preferred type of supplement, and instead those that contain whole food nutrition from a variety of fruits and vegetables - like Juice Plus+® for example - are preferred, there is now evidence that some vitamins added to the diet can help in the prevention of sickness and disease.

Once again, the debate continues as to the effectiveness of a single vitamin or multiple vitamins can do for the health of the body.  This particular study shows that low levels of Vitamin B may be associated with an increase risk of certain health problems. Read more and be sure to view the comments below --

Want to cut your risk of lung cancer in half? Take a daily multivitamin. A study released in today’s issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association links regular Vitamin B intake—and not smoking—with a 56 percent less likelihood of developing lung cancer than those with the low levels of Vitamin B intake. Read on...

Comments: If a study shows that those with low levels of Vitamin B have a higher incidence of any health condition, this doesn't mean you should supplement your diet with that vitamin. It just means if you show low levels of that particular nutrient that you may be at higher risk to develop one or more health problems. The point is that you can get one or any number of vitamins and nutrients from whole food fruits and vegetables and be healthier than if you just took a single or multi vitamin supplement. There are hundreds of nutrients in respective fruits, vegetables, grapes, and/or berries. Your body craves those types of foods for not just the nutritional value, but the water and fiber that provide benefit as well.  But if you do not get enough of those foods, then supplement your diet with those that provide nutrients from a variety of those whole foods. Juice Plus+® is one example.  You're better of with a diet rich in raw, ripened whole food fruits and vegetables than any one vitamin supplement or any type of supplement. But, if you have to, take a whole food supplement.

Dr. Patrick Havey
The Health & Wellness Institute
Official Juice Plus+® Independent Distributor

Vitamin D Levels Influenced by Genes

While we recommend Juice Plus+ or any whole food nutritional supplement if you're not eating enough fruits and vegetables, there is one vitamin among vitamins that has seen plenty of research that supports a daily supplement of it. And that is Vitamin D.  While Juice Plus+ provides nutrients from a variety of fruits and vegetables, taking a single Vitamin D supplement may not be such a bad thing. But here's one reason why you should carefully consider the amount you supplement daily --

In the era before vitamins and cod-liver oil, children suffering from rickets got the "sunshine cure" to rid them of the deforming condition caused by soft, weak bones. It was also the treatment for tuberculosis.

Deficiency in Vitamin D, which is key to maintaining bone health, has been linked to other disorders, including diabetes, cancers of the breast, colon and prostate, and cardiovascular disease.  Now, an international study co-authored by McGill University researcher Brent Richards explains why sunshine and certain foods aren't always enough to ward off a Vitamin D deficiency.

Science has been aware for a while that environment and diet play crucial roles, said Richards, of the Lady Davis Institute for medical research of the Jewish General Hospital, but the genetic role wasn't clear.

"About 50 per cent of our Vitamin D levels are determined by genetic factors - that was known," he said.

But the new study, considered the largest of its kind, found variants in three genes responsible for low Vitamin D levels. The genes are involved with the synthesis, breakdown ortransportof Vitamin D.

Richards and co-author ThomasJ. Wangof Massachusetts General Hospital, with colleagues in Britain, the United States, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland, assessed 34,000 white people of European descent and found the variations increased the risk of Vitamin D insufficiency by more than double.

Published in the Lancet, the report by the SUNLIGHT consortium (Study of Underlying Genetic Determinants of Vitamin D and Highly Related Traits) notes the condition may affect up to half of all healthy adults in the developed world.  The study may help explain why people who should get enough through foods and sun exposure still seem to have low levels of Vitamin D.

"We were surprised at what a large effect these genes have," Richards said. "Some of these genes are very common, and usually common genes have a small effect. But these have such a large effect that 50 per cent of Caucasians would carry one copy of the risk gene. And the effect of having a good copy of this gene is similar to using Vitamin D supplementation."

But people should not run out and start popping vitamins, Richards cautioned.

"This in no way lets us understand whether people should take large doses of Vitamin D, only what genes influence vitamin levels," he said. "We're doing follow-up studies to determine whether or not people who have these risk genes need higher doses of Vitamin D."

Researchers are also looking at whether individuals with certain gene variations would respond better to vitamin supplements. In March, Statistics Canada reported that 10 per cent of Canadians -about 3 million people -had inadequatelevelsof Vitamin D in their blood for optimal bone health, and fully 1.1 million were Vitamin D deficient.

There's speculation that people who live in areas with a lack of sunlight -for example, Canada's northern climes -have an increased riskof Vitamin D deficiency.

Most Vitamin D is made by the body as a natural by-product of the skin's exposure to sunlight. It can also be absorbed by eating Vitamin D-rich foods like egg yolks, saltwater fish and liver, fortified foods or via Vitamin D supplements.  There are no definitive studies on the optimal daily Vitamin D dose.

Health Canada recommends daily intake of 200 IU (international units) for people age 50 or less, 400 IU for ages 51 to 70, and 600 IU for those older than 70.  Two cups of milk provide 200IUof VitaminD. (source...)

Comments: The best source of Vitamin D is sunshine and specific foods. There are plenty of sources that support taking an individual vitamin D supplement to ensure you get plenty of it, although we still support whole food nutrition for optimal benefits to you and your health.  And if you're not getting plenty of fruits and vegetables, you may want to add Juice Plus+ to your diet.

Dr. J. Patrick Havey
The Health & Wellness Institute, PC