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Environmental exposure to a widespread compound used to make
common plastic food containers and baby bottles and to line tin
cans interferes with cell division in the eggs of female mice,
according to research.
If cell division is disturbed, it can result in aneuploidy, or
an abnormal number of chromosomes in the eggs. This condition is
the leading cause of mental retardation and birth defects in
humans, including Down syndrome.
Even extremely low levels of the compound, called Bisphenol A (BPA),
produced genetic abnormalities, according to researchers. BPA
exhibits hormone-like properties and imitates the effects of
naturally occurring estrogens.
Researchers began to study BPA after normal mice began to
display genetic abnormalities that are typically uncommon. The
defects were linked to plastic cages and water bottles that had
been cleaned with a harsh detergent, causing BPA to leak from the
plastic.
Researchers then determined how much BPA the mice had been
exposed to and how small a dose would produce effects. An
extremely small dose of 20 parts/billion daily for five to seven
days was enough to produce effects.
Researchers are uncertain of the effect of BPA on humans,
however they noted that mice and humans have a very similar cell
division program for eggs.
Previous studies have suggested that exposing animals in the
womb to levels of BPA similar to those found in the environment
disrupts their sperm count, prostate and testicular development.
However, other studies, some funded by the plastics industry, have
not found any risks associated with BPA exposure.
Some experts say that, taken together, study results suggest
that efforts to begin reducing human exposure to BPA are
warranted.
Current Biology April 2003;13:546-553
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According to research, a transporter in
the colon called SLC5A8 plays an important part in allowing the colon
to get rid of the last bit of food before the unused portion is
flushed away. It was discovered that the good bacteria in the colon
produces a glucose-releasing enzyme found in plant cell walls, the
broccoli, fruits and cereal left-over, which cannot be digested in the
small intestine.
The oxygen-less confines of the bacteria-packed colon allows the
bacteria to transform the glucose to energy, which results in the
production of short-chain fatty acids, the ideal nutrients for colon
cells.
Acting as a transporter expressed by colonic cells, which absorb
the just-produced short-chain fatty acids, SLC5A8 is found to be the
final piece of the model in both animals and human cells.
This finding has shown that the transporter, SLC5A8, helps explain
why fruits and vegetables are good for you and antibiotics are not
because they wipe out the good bacteria and disrupt the model. This
could result in potentially making the colonic cells sick or
cancerous.
The main function of the colon is to store waste from the diet
until it is time to be eliminated. When the transporter was cloned in
a study, it was reported that when colon cells became cancerous, the
transport system got silent.
The path of the transporter in the body gives an idea of what it
transports. The research showed the transporter was heavily expressed
in the colon, which led scientists to believe that a healthy
short-chain fatty cells transporter can keep the whole immune system
healthy.
The Journal of Biological Chemistry February 13, 2004
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Dr. Pacelli's Comment:
I do not know if many of you know that the number of
bacteria in your cells outnumbers the cells in your body by
about 10 to one. There are about 60-70 trillion bacteria in
our colon and we have about 6 trillion cells.
I am absolutely convinced that one of the keys to
keeping healthy is through balancing the bacteria in your
intestine. This is one of the ways that eating sugar causes
disease, by directing more of the disease-causing bacteria in
the colon to grow.
I have realized the great value of fermented foods that
are loaded with good bacteria. They give the body similar
benefits as consuming a whole bottle of good bacteria, but at
a fraction of the cost. I have started using them for health
benefits at nearly every meal. I am hoping to have articles in
the near future on their benefits and to help explain why they
are so useful.
Another way to balance the bacteria in your intestine is
by taking a live bacteria that will promote health. Remember
that if your GI tract is not functioning at Optimal Health,
then your overall health is being compromised. The purest and
most effective human form that I have found I discuss with my
patients. This is one of the few supplements that I highly
recommend and urge nearly everyone to consider adding to their
daily eating procedure to eliminate toxic waste and improve
the digestive tract. Come join me on the journey to Optimal
Health. |
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Raisins may soon become an
alternative to sodium nitrite, a preservative commonly used in
processed meats, such as beef jerky.
While sodium nitrite has been found to break down into
cancer-causing chemicals during digestion, raisins add nutritional
benefits and were found to work just as well as a preservative.
The research was completed by Mark Daeschel, a food scientist
at Oregon State University (OSU) and a specialist in natural
"antimicrobials"--substances added to food that inhibit the growth of
harmful microorganisms--and OSU research assistants.
Adding raisins to beef jerky lowered the amount of fat in the
jerky while adding the additional benefits of antioxidants and fiber.
Plus, the raisins inhibited bacterial growth, including types commonly
found in food-borne illness such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and
Listeria monocytogenes.
Replacing the high-nitrite curing mix used in beef jerky with
raisins may also lower the sodium, making beef jerky an option for
people on sodium-restricted diets.
The high sugar content of raisins is one reason why they work
well as a preservative, according to researchers. The sugar inhibits
microbial growth associated with spoiled food and makes the water in
food less available to microbes. Additionally, raisins are acidic,
which also inhibits microbes.
Moreover, in blind taste tests comparing 10 percent raisin
jerky with traditional jerky, panelists preferred the raisin jerky in
terms of overall liking, flavor, texture and appearance.
Researchers also suggested that the high antioxidant levels
in raisins might decrease off-flavors associated with oxidation or
rancidity. They may also be useful as an additive to vegetarian
products such as meatless burgers!
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