Fitness Factoids-Volume 16
Scientists Link Processed Foods to A
utoimmune Disease
A study conducted by scientists at Yale University and Erlangen-Nuremberg University in Germany have found that consumption of processed foods leads to autoimmune disease. The study concluded that excessive consumption of processed and refined salt has become one of the primary environmental factors responsible for the increased incidence of autoimmune disease. Researchers studied Th17 cells, known as helper T cells in the body, which have been found to play a critical role in the development of autoimmune diseases. Scientists found that when these cells were exposed to refined salts it prompted them to act “more aggressively”. Salt exposure increased the levels of inflammatory cytokines released by Th17 cells to levels nearly ten times above baseline, causing the body to attack itself.
http://www.trueactivist.com/scientists-officially-link-processed-foods-to-autoimmune-disease/
Sugary Drinks Increase Risk of Kidney Stones
A study released by the Clinical Journal of the American S
ociety of Nephrology has discovered there may be a link between consumption of sugary drinks and the development of kidney stones. According the study people who drink soda daily have a 33% greater risk of developing kidney stones than those who consume soda only once per week. Lead researcher Dr. Gary Curhan stated that although the study doesn’t prove cause and effect between certain drinks and kidney stones, it does indicate that sugar plays a role. Curhan suspects sugars effects the way the body handles calcium, which may lead to the development of kidney stones.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sns-rt-us-sugary-drinksbre94l146-20130522,0,1920038.story
Curcumin Boosts Immune Function
Researchers at Oregon State 
University have found that curcumin has the ability to boost immune function by increasing levels of a protein known as CAMP in the immune system. Cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) helps the immune system fight off various bacteria such as those responsible for tuberculosis and has even been shown to protect against sepsis. Researchers tested the ability of both omega-3 fatty acids and curcumin to express the genes responsible for increasing CAMP. It was found that omega-3 fats had very little impact on the gene while curcumin caused CAMP levels to nearly triple.
http://www.nutritionnews.com/health/like-curry-new-biological-role-for-curcumin-identified/
Dietary Supplements and Exercise Reduce Heart Disease Risk in Women
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing found that women who take dietary supplements and exercise were 84% less likely to suffer from heart disease. Researchers from Taipei Medical University in Taiwan surveyed 65 women and collected data concerning; medical conditions, family history, use of hormone replacement, physical activity, and dietary supplements. Analysis of the data found women who used dietary supplements
such as multi-vitamins, B-complex, vitamin D, and calcium had a 72% decreased risk for heart disease while women who engaged in physical activity and took dietary supplements could reduce their risk of disease by up to 84%.
Short Walks Aft
er Meals May Reduce Diabetes Risk
Researchers at George Washington University have found that post-meal walks in older people can significantly reduce their risk of diabetes. The study found that walking for fifteen minutes after meals was as effective at reducing blood sugar over a 24 hour period as one forty-five minute walk at the same pace. Researchers found that walking after meals was “significantly more effective” at blunting insulin spikes after eating. Older people may be more susceptible to blood sugar spikes after meals due to years of becoming insulin resistant according to researchers. Walking after meals can provide an inexpensive means of moderating blood sugar.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22853314
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